


Death_by_Pine.exe

by Adder24



Category: Person of Interest (TV), The Night Manager (TV), The Night Manager (TV) RPF, The Night Manager - Jean Le Carré, The Night manager fandom
Genre: John Reese - Freeform, M/M, Person of Interest, Rine, The Night Manager - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2018-09-25 11:03:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 35,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9817202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adder24/pseuds/Adder24
Summary: Johnathan Pine is finding it difficult to adjust to civilian life and wants to return to his previous life. His restlessness and irrational behaviour have cost him his home, Job and the love of his life but when an opportunity presents its self to him, Pine is left with no choice. He has to go back and take up his new mission or risk losing his life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This Fan fic is a crossover between Person of Interest and The Night manager an Idea I have been working on for a little while after watching both programs and coming up with the crazy idea of "Hey what would it be like to have Pine and Reese working with each other....and thus a ship was born.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy this crazy ship, there will be many chapters to come.

What he did, he hated but when he wasn’t doing it, he missed it. The quiet life wasn’t for Pine, he found it hard to switch off and settle into civilian life. He was always on edge, always wary of those around him and he was restless. Normality drove him insane, he had lost the woman he loved as well as the home they owned and the job as a night manager at an exclusive hotel in New York.

Money was getting tight and Pine was left with no option but to return to dark twisted world of spies and surveillance. He got in touch with his contacts to see if they would re-hire him but they told him plainly that he had been out of the game for too long and would be deemed too risky. He put out feelers for mercenary work, private military work and personal bodyguards but all of them brushed him off and re-iterated the point that he had been missing from the game for too long. Those words were hard and painful words to stomach and they seemed to sink him deeper into despair.

Then one night when Pine was on the verge of giving up hope, he received an anonymous email, the subject line simply stated “Pine.exe” With a furrowed brow, Pine tentatively opened up the email and as soon as he did his laptop started to go haywire. A config window opened up and started to run a script that went through his whole computer system, he also lost control of the mouse and keyboard. Pine started to panic, he started to unplug everything from his laptop, his phone, his hard drive, even the power cable and then as he was just about to shut the lid, a message appeared on the screen,

“I can help you”

Pine blinked.

“How?” He asked curiously

His phone started to buzz to life. He jumped and then picked up the phone to see who was calling. The caller ID came up as unknown, usually Pine didn’t answer unknown numbers but it seemed far too coincidental for his phone to ring after the message that flicked up on his laptop screen. He accepted the call and placed the phone to his ear.

“Johnathan Pine I presume” Came a deep smooth voice from the other end of the phone.  
“Who is this?” Pine asked  
“The name is John Greer, former MI6 operative and head of Decima technologies”  
“And what do you want from me? Why did you hack my laptop and my emails?”  
“I need an assailant. I asked my machine to find someone suitable and it just so happens your number appeared before my very eyes. You have an impressive resume Mr Pine, took down Roper’s empire from inside virtually single handedly. My company could use a man like you and since I have noticed you have been doing some job hunting, I will offer to pay you good money for the task I am about to present to you.”

Pine took a deep breath, trying to calm his beating heart and his restless mind, all kinds of questions were spinning round his head. What was the task? Were they shadow operatives? Were they purposefully targeting ex special servicemen? Was his life in danger if he refused?  
He couldn’t afford to refuse and they knew that, they knew he was in dire straits, they had clearly done their research on him and they contacted him because they clearly needed someone of his expertise to assistant with whatever task it was they were going to present to him. 

He ran his fingers through his hair and exhaled a ragged and nervous breath, his eyes darting around the room, trying to look for any planted bugs or hidden cameras but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, no telling there was an intrusion.

“What happens if I refuse?” Pine asked nervously  
“Nothing will happen” Greer replied with a slight pause

Then something quickly flashed across Pine’s face. He quickly flicked his eyes up and then down t his chest where he saw a red dot was now trained over his chest.

“Let’s be honest Mr Pine if something was to happen to you, know one would notice” Greer began “We would make it look like an accident, life got too much and you jumped or...you agree to help us and you walk away with your life”

Pine’s heart started to thump hard in his chest. Say no and die or say Yes and delve once more into the darkness.

“Okay fine. Tell me what I need to do” Pine replied in a stricken tone  
“File is being sent to you now”

He looked towards his laptop and noticed a new email had flashed up in his inbox. He clicked the email open and initiated a file transfer. As soon as it was completed four pictures appeared on his screen, mugshots that were taken from surveillance cameras in and around New York, Two of them were women, one woman had long brown wavy hair, hazel eyes and a slim frame, the other woman had black hair tied up in a tail, sharp facial features and a stern looking face. The other two pictures were of two men. One of them was dressed like a gentleman, he wore a waistcoat and suit. He also wore glasses had a round face and a receding hairline with a tuft of hair at the front. The other man seemed to make the hairs on the back of Pines neck stand on end. He had short salt and pepper hair and blue eyes that just seemed to bore into Pine’s soul, he looked haunted and pained, yet at the same time stoic and deadly, he had chiseled facial features and looked rugged yet familiar. Pine swore he had seen him once before but he wasn’t sure where.

“Okay I got the file…..” Pine responded after he analysed the pictures.  
“Good. So now you will need to know your mission. These four people are a threat, they are planning to take down a system designed to predict any future terrorist threats to any country within the world. They want to replace it with their own rogue machine and we need to stop them by any means possible. We need you to find them, get as much intel as you can about their operation and then I want you to destroy their machine and eliminate them. Is that clear Pine?”

Pine gulped hard. He was being forced into a corner and there was no way of escaping. He had to agree to it.

“.....Crystal sir” Pine confirmed  
“Good. Now we have created you an Alias which will be sent over to you shortly so you can read and familiarise yourself with. Tomorrow you will no longer be Jonathan Pine, you will be a young detective joining the New York Police department, specifically the eighth precinct. You will have access to files and reports surrounding these four people and since you have such a good track record of figuring things out quickly, I suspect it won’t take you long to find them and do as we ask” 

“I don’t have much choice” Pine replied through gritted teeth

“You don’t. Find them, eliminate them and you will stop the world gaining a few more Richard Ropers. An email has been sent to you with your alias. Read it, digest it and get yourself a good night sleep. Good night Pine”

There was a click and the call ended. Pine slammed his phone down on the table and held his head in his hands. What the hell had he gotten himself into?


	2. Buckthorn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnathan has been given his task and a new Alias to go by, Ash Buckthorn. As he prepares to start living the life of his Alias and making connections within the NYPD, he is shocked to learn who he is working alongside.

Once the email flashed up in his inbox, Pine could feel his heart start to pound in his chest. He opened it up and another download had started, once it was complete a window opened up and within it was a file labeled simply as “Ash Buckthorn” Pine’s hands shakily moved the mouse to open up the file and within the file was a background sheet of his alias, documents, photos and instructions of where to pick up things like a passport, driver's license, badge and ID card.

Alarm bells were ringing in his head yet the spy within him took over. He read up on his alias’s background, reading from cover to cover, making sure to pick up and learn about every detail of Ash Buckthorn, every minute detail, he even tried to read in between the lines, to add some depth to his alias and get a feel of who he was to become. So far it sounded like a familiar story, Ash was a former Marine who had done two tours of Afghanistan and 1 tour of Iraq, he left the marines at the age of twenty six after getting shot in the lung and as a result, suffered a collapsed lung. He then joined the police force a year later and rose quickly through the ranks before being transferred to the New York Police department. Ash was never married, never had children but his father also served in the military but was killed in December 1992 when he was caught up in the blast of an IRA terrorist attack in Manchester.

Pine took a deep breath in and exhaled shakily. Some of Ash’s background was similar to his own and some details opened up old wounds and brought back some traumatic memories. He rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger, trying to shake off the feeling of tiredness. He carried on researching his alias, making sure he knew everything inside and out, slowly becoming Ash Buckthorn but as time drew on, Pine felt his eyes getting heavier and heavier till eventually it got too much and he passed out at his desk, slumped in front of the laptop.

Tiredness had a hold of pine as he fell into a deep sleep. He was unresponsive and nothing seemed to disturb his slumber, despite the uncomfortable position he had fallen asleep in but as the morning light seeped in through the blinds and the city started to come to life once more, Pine’s phone came to life, the loud vibrations on the table startled him awake, he blinked a few times before grabbing his phone and accepting the call.

“Hello” He said groggily as he rubbed his eyes  
“Ah Mr Buckthorn. I presume you have familiarised yourself with your alias?” Came the rich smooth voice of Greer over the phone  
“I’m pretty well acquainted with him” Pine responded  
“Good! Your documents will be delivered to you in five minutes, I suggest you get yourself ready, your first shift as Detective Buckthorn is due to start in less than an hour. Have a nice day...Pine”

The call ended, Pine took a moment to compose himself and check the time. It was five to eight, that gave him forty minutes to get himself ready. He quickly got up from the table and headed towards the bathroom, quickly stripping off last night's clothes and stepping into the shower. The cold water trickled down his toned body, waking him up and helping his mind to focus. He needed to get into the mindset of his Alias, feel what he felt, breath how he would breathe. He took five minutes in the shower before he stepped out, wrapping a towel round his waist before heading into the bedroom to pull out clothes that he thought was best suited for his new Alias. A pair of black denim jeans, A light blue shirt and a black blazer with a dark brown leather motorcycle jacket. This was to be Buckthorn’s attire, smart yet casual.

He swiftly got dressed and moved back into the front room and noticed all his documents had been delivered as they lay on the floor in front of the door in a sealed envelope. There was no name and no address on the envelope but the contents inside was all for him. He picked it up off the floor, opened it and spilled its contents on the table. Passports, driving licenses, work permits and his badge were all in that one envelope. Pine studied them, putting the finishing touches to his alias before shoving what he needed in his jean pockets. He then made himself a quick cup of coffee before leaving the apartment and heading to the nearest subway station, south ferry. He then caught the next train on the number one line heading to Van Cortlandt Park. After five stops he stepped off at Houston street and made his way towards the 8th precinct. It was only a two minute walk from the station but already Pine could feel himself starting to take on Buckthorn’s persona. The way he walked changed, there was more purpose in the strides he took, his facial features went from expressive to unreadable and cold. His arms swung rigid by his sides, like a soldier and by the time he reached the front door of the precinct, Pine was gone and what stood in his place was Ash Buckthorn.

He headed inside and approached the reception desk, stating who he was and what department he was working with.

“Hey, you must be the new pup joining the team” Came a thick New yorken accent from behind him.

Pine quickly turned round to see a short portly man in a grey suit, standing behind him. He looked like what Pine would define as a sterotypical Italian American, well fed with a mobster scowl on his lips, his hair was black and in tight curls and besides carrying the sterotypical Italian look well, he also looked like the human form of Pumba, he would even go as far to say as he sounded very similar to the warthog. The visual image in Pine’s mind lead to a smirk forming on his lips.

“Hey…..What’s funny Tea stain?” He questioned as Pine shook his head.  
“Nothing...Sorry I’m Ash Buckthorn”  
“Detective Lionel Fusco, I’m the one showing you the ropes round here so stay in line or I’ll kick your british ass back to England you hear me?”  
“Loud and clear sir”  
“Good. I’ll show you around”

Pine nodded his head and followed Fusco around the precinct. He was shown the important places, where records are held, the evidence locker, gun locker, interview rooms, and a room where the files of those working undercover are kept. He was then shown around each department within the precinct and given a brief rundown on what they do, just in case they ran things differently to England, before he was shown to where he would be working. Homicide.   
There was a desk setup next to Fusco, with two screens and a laptop, that were ready to use, as well as a pen holder full of pens and some sticky notes.

“Boss wants you next to me, just to help you to learn the ropes quicker”  
“I’m a quick learner” Pine responded as he got himself acquainted with his surroundings “Should be up to speed in no time”  
“That’ll be music to Riley’s ears”  
“Riley?” Pine asked with intrigue  
“Yeah….He’s my partner, he sits in front of me”

Pine looked over at the desk, positioned in front of Fusco. It was quite sparse, no pictures displayed, no personal possessions, just some paperwork stacked neatly, a monitor and a laptop. 

“I’m gonna guess he is a private person?” He asked  
“He’s ex services, likes Order and not desk clutter”  
“And I’m guessing a hard ass?”  
“Can say that again. Anyway get yourself settled in, I gotta go to the captain and get you all setup on the computer”

Fusco firmly patted his back and made his way to the captain’s office. It gave Pine chance to briefly, scope out what is what within the department. Study the other officers and get a feel for how things worked but there was something about this Riley guy that intrigued Pine. He found it unusual, for even an ex serviceman, to not have a picture up on his desk or something of a personal significance and the amount of paperwork stacked on his desk didn’t add up either. Every other officer within the department had at least ten files minimal stacked on their desk. Riley only had two. Curious, Pine took it upon himself to inspect Riley’s workspace while keeping an eye out for Fusco. He went through his draws and found they were empty all be it for one pen, which he found to be extremely odd, surely a detective would keep a side arm in there or a couple of note pads for when they were out on the field.

Then Pine felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, a familiar indication that someone was standing directly behind him.

“Are you looking for something?” Came a husky voice from behind him.

Pine closed his eyes, held up his hands and stood up slowly.

“Alright you got me…..I was looking for a pen.” Pine responded calmly  
“You won’t find any in there”  
“Well there was one-”  
“Which means you can’t have it. You’re the new guy aren’t you? Ash Buckthorn?”  
“...Sadly yes.”

Pine took it upon himself to slowly turn round to face, who he assumed, to be Detective Riley but he was in for a shock. He recognised him, the steely blue eyes that bored into the soul, the rugged facial features, salt and pepper hair, broad shoulders and the fact he was of the same height. Pine knew exactly who it was standing before him, with his head tilted to one side and a smirk on his lips.

“You look like you have seen a ghost”  
“Sorry….you took my by surprise” Pine replied, trying to shake off that uneasy feeling he felt in the pit of his stomach.   
“Well I didn’t expect to see someone going through my desk”  
“Again, I’m really sorry I was looking for a pen”  
“I’ll let it slide this time”  
“...Thank you” Pine replied with a sigh of relief before the next question surfaced on his lips “pardon me for asking but who are you?”  
“Why,I’m detective Riley.”


	3. Just a Hunch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pine had finally come into contact with one of his targets under a different alias and was now establishing a connection with him in order to get the information he needs. But while he is busy trying to get info, he doesn't realise that he is also being watched.

Riley. So that was the name he was going under. A fake alias to protect himself from those trying to find him but if he was hiding under a fake persona, it meant the others he was working with were probably doing exactly the same thing. Pine knew he was going to need to get close to this guy, befriend him and find out where the others were hiding. It wasn’t going to be easy.

“Hey I see you found tea stain” Fusco called out from across the office, snapping Pine out of his thoughts  
“Oh I didn’t find him, he found me” Riley replied casually  
“I was looking for a pen” Pine replied as he looked over at Fusco  
“You got a whole pot over here dumbass, why did you go looking for a pen?”  
“Erm-”  
“It’s okay Lionel, he just needed an excuse to come and say hi.” Riley interjected  
“Err yeah, just thought I’d introduce myself”  
“....You brits have a weird way of introducing yourselves”

Pine quickly looked back at Riley and noticed the playful smirk on his lips and the crafty wink he gave him before placing a hand on his shoulder.

“You better get back to your desk. Lionel can get cranky if you don’t do as you’re told”  
“So how come he doesn’t boss you about?” Pine asked  
“Cause I don’t like him telling me what to do”

It may have come across as a small joke but Pine was well aware that he was letting him know who was top dog. Sure Fusco was all bark no bite, Pine already got that impression about him the moment Fusco gave him the nickname “tea stain” but with Riley, Pine could already sense he was the dominant alpha male. The one who would silently watch you before making his judgement. If he picked up that Pine was hiding something, he would be done for.

Pine nodded his head in thanks towards Riley and headed back to his desk where Fusco handed over his login details for the system. Once he was logged on, Pine could get to work. He went through emails from the Captain, welcoming him to the team, he received details on how to get onto another part of the system that held records on all the criminals they have on file, which Fusco helped him to navigate and understand and then in no time Fusco placed two files on his desk, cases that had been opened from last week. Two separate murders in the same area of town. Pine read up the information that had been put down by officers at the scene, trying to find hints or clues to what could have happened to these victims. He looked over the paperwork, the photo’s of the victims and the crime scene but there was nothing obvious.

“Hey erm...Detective Fusco was there anything at these crime scenes that would have been picked up and put in the Evidence lockers?” Pine Asked  
“Two empty bullet casing, sniper rounds to be exact”  
“That would make these murders, professional hits. Your standard street thug wouldn’t go to all this effort to take out his targets. He would approach them in the street, brazenly and pop them in the head. That would make the entry points and exit points a little more messier then what we see here because he would be closer. These suggests that the hit man was from afar. The entry points are cleaner and the exit wounds suggest he had a trajectory of a forty five degree angle. Do we have any background on the two victims?”  
“Not at the moment but we are working on it”  
“Any relatives or friends been approached?”  
“Nope, we usually give them space to mourn before we approach them, they’ve had a week.”  
“I’d say that’s sufficient time”

Pine started to pull on his Jacket as he jotted down the addresses of the victim's close relatives in a notepad.

“Hey you’re not going alone Tea stain” Fusco piped up  
“I’ll be fine” Pine replied calmly  
“On your own in the Bronx? I don’t think so”  
“Well I can’t exactly wait on you, you have your own work to be getting on with”  
“I’ll go with him” Riley piped up

Pine blinked and peered over his screens at Riley, noticing the detective sitting at his workstation, checking something before catching Pine’s gaze.

“Don’t you have work to do Riley?” Fusco asked sternly  
“Only a couple of reports that need writing up before I close the cases for them. Won’t take me all day”  
“Fine but go easy on him. It's his first day.”  
“How's he gonna learn if I'm not treating him the same as you Lionel?”  
“He's got a point. I'll be fine, I've faced worse officers in the marines.”

He gave Fusco a reassuring smile before gathering up his things as, Riley strutted over to his desk. He signalled for Pine to follow him as they both headed to the car lot at the back of the precinct. They walked past the standard issue cars and over to the plainclothes cars. They varied from your average looking ford's to the more rugged Dodge chargers. Pine naturally thought that Riley would walk them over to one of the black Dodge chargers that glistened in the winter sun. He thought a car like that would suit Riley’s personality as well as his physique, what he wasn’t expecting was for them to walk over to a more, low key looking Ford fusion, salon in gun metal grey

“This is your car?” Pine asked, unimpressed by the choice  
“Yes. This is the NYPD Ash, not Mi6 and James Bond” Riley replied with a snarky expression on his face “What was you expecting me to drive?”  
“Well one of them Chargers… they would suit you better than this”

Riley turned to look at the Chargers all parked up neatly next to each other and then looked back at Pine with a deadpan look on his face.

“Too obvious. Get in”

Who was Pine to argue? He got into the passenger's side, put on his seatbelt and sat quietly as Riley drove through the busy streets of New York towards the Bronx. The journey was going to take at least an hour and Pine wasn’t one to sit in silence. Silence made him uncomfortable, it gave his mind chance to wander and dwell on his past actions, it would allow the demons to start playing games in his head and it wasn’t something he needed right now. He quickly reached out and put on the radio, happy for any noise that came out of the speakers but of course this reaction caught Rileys attention. He glanced over at Pine and noticed the restless hands and the vacant stare.

“You too huh?” Riley asked

The question seemed to snap Pine out of his thoughts, he blinked rapidly, shook his head and looked over at Riley.

“Sorry?”  
“You suffer with flashbacks, made worse by silence. That’s why you put the radio on so you can distract your mind from those thoughts”  
“Yeah… How do you know?” Pine asked  
“See the signs everyday. Should get yourself checked out, you leave it too long it will get worse”  
“Talking from experience Riley?”  
“I will never tell and you will never know”

He took a deep breath and looked out the window as Riley continued to drive, watching the city blur past him, the landscape changing from the wealth and high rise skyscrapers that adorned the infamous New York skyline, to the aged, and in some cases, well worn low rise buildings of the Bronx. A man wearing a pristine, high end suit would look out of place in this part of New York as well as make themselves a target. Troubles here were probably dealt with in a different way, unless it was a killing in the community.

After over an hour of travelling, They had reached the East Bronx. Riley took a left onto Van Nest avenue, he drove past a couple of streets before taking a right onto Melville street. They parked up in front of a single story, faded yellow house with a tree growing in the concreted front garden. It was enclosed by metal fencing and a gate. Riley was the first to step out of the car, Pine following behind him as they approached the gate and let themselves in. Riley straightened the lapels on his blazer before approaching the front door and banging on the glass hard. When someone answered, both he and Pine flashed their badges and explained what they were doing at the house. Despite it being a week since their loved one had passed, Pine could still sense the grief and sadness that surrounded them, he would need to be sympathetic and careful with his questions.

They were accepted into the house, immediately Pine sensed the sombre atmosphere and as they sat down in the front room, Pine iterated his apologies for their loss, even though he knew it wasn’t going to bring them back, it was something at least. He started to delicately ask questions about the deceased. He was a young man, twenty one years old and went under the name of Sean Newsome. He had a scholarship at the prestigious Cornell university studying Veterinary Medicines, he studied hard and was working on a breakthrough new drug to help Horses with Asthma and had the potential to also be used in humans.

Pine smiled when Sean’s mother spoke fondly of her son, saying how much he loved animals and in particular horses, how she always knew he would grow up to be bright and make something of his life and how he was a good kid, how he never got himself into trouble. Pine could see the hurt in her eyes, how the once happy smile quickly broke into a quivering lip as she choked back the tears. Pine gently held her hand for support and softly uttered “We’ll find them” 

Yet while Pine was busy analysing and taking notes, he could feel Riley’s eyes were fixed on him, reading him, trying to find a chink in his armour. At one point Pine glanced over at Riley and saw him quickly look away and look at the mother, stroking his chin in thought, pretending to pay attention when Pine knew he wasn’t, he was too busy trying to figure him out. After an hour, they were done interviewing Sean’s mother. Pine thanked her for her time and gave her his condolences once again while Riley stood up quietly and loomed in the doorway. 

“We will be in touch as soon as we get a lead” Pine said softly as they headed out the door  
“Thank you so much Detective Buckthorn and err….detective Riley”  
“Not a problem Mrs Newsome and we are truly sorry for your loss”

She smiled sadly at them and then closed the door behind them as they walked back to the car. Pine reached for the door, pulled the handle and realised the door was still locked. He tried it again, frustration starting to creep onto his face as he furrowed his brow, causing a crinkle in his nose.

“What’s the problem Buckthorne?” Riley asked calmly  
“Door won’t open”  
“That’s because I haven’t unlocked the car. You okay? You seem on edge”  
“That’s because it might have something to do with it being my first day on the job and trying not to look like a complete and utter useless rookie” Pine snapped back  
“Well you didn’t seem useless in there. If you was nervous about the job, you would have come undone in that room but you handled it like a pro. There’s something else, something you’re hiding from us, I just can’t figure it out”

Pine gulped hard, was he that obvious to him? He looked back at Riley with wide eyes, a part of him wanted the ground to swallow him up and spare being murdered in cold blood, the other part wanted to confess his sins and tell Riley he was in danger but as the words started to form in his head, Riley started to talk.

“I know what you’re hiding from us” He started as Pine flinched “It all makes sense now….you get car sick”

Pine breathed a sigh of relief.

“The roads here are not as smooth as back home….I’m not used to them that’s all”  
“Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me” Riley replied with a wink before he unlocked the car and got in.

Pine closed his eyes for a brief moment and counted himself lucky that he somehow avoided getting caught out. He stepped into the car, buckled himself up and flipped on the radio as they headed back to the precinct. Most of the day for Pine was spent following up on leads, finding out information about the people Sean was associated with. He also had to apply for a warrant to go into Sean’s accommodation on the university campus as well as ensuring he had someone like Fusco or even Riley go in with him to make sure he was doing the investigation correctly. Pine was quickly learning that there was a lot more paperwork involved than actual police work, so he couldn’t be more happier when he noticed it was time for him to clock off.

“Not a bad first day tea stain” Fusco said as he gently patted his back on his way out.  
“Thanks. Same time tomorrow?” Pine asked  
“ A detective’s work is never done. Get some rest, You earned it”

Pine smiled as he pulled on his jacket. He shutdown his computer and headed out of the Precinct, making his way home. He was about to cross the road when he felt a tap on his shoulder, Pine quickly looked round to see Riley standing beside him.

“You look like you could do with a ride home Ash” Riley stated  
“Oh… No, no I’m sure I can navigate my way home on the subway” Pine replied, nervously  
“I wasn’t asking”  
“Oh...well okay I’ll take the ride home”  
“Good answer”

Pine followed Riley to his car and got in. He told Riley where he was staying and within twenty minutes Riley had pulled up outside of Pine’s apartment. It was a studio apartment that was inside one of the original nineteen twenties buildings that was now dwarfed by the skyscrapers around it.

“This your place?” Riley asked  
“Yeah. Might not look much but it’s home. Thanks for the lift Riley” Pine replied  
“Anytime”

Pine smiled at Riley and headed into his apartment. Riley sat back and waited to make sure he was in safely. It was then his ear piece went off, Riley tapped it.

“Talk to me Professor”  
“It seems we’re not the only ones using an Alias, there’s more to Ash Buckthorn than we first thought Detective Riley”  
“Guess my hunch was right, said all along there was something about this guy”


	4. Peel off the bark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A rough night leads to a hard morning for Pine as he struggles to focus on the job at hand but a pep talk and some strong coffee gets him motivated but while he and Riley work on the same case together, Detective Riley is left asking questions about Pine and if he a friend or a foe.

Pine didn’t sleep well that night. He kept waking up from night terrors, flashbacks from his time as a soldier working behind enemy lines. The last time he suffered this badly was after he had lead roper to his own downfall and he was left fearing some form of backlash. 

He had at least two hours sleep and he was struggling to keep focus. Every now and again he would catch himself yawning or struggling to stay awake. He would constantly rub his eyes or stare off into oblivion and his workload was hardly shifting, and while he battled with fatigue and keeping awake, he was hoping Fusco and Riley didn’t notice. Fusco thankfully was busy battling through his own paperwork mountain but Riley, Pine could sense Riley keeping eyes on him.

“You got that warrant for the dorm yet Buckthorn?” Riley asked

Pine lifted his head and looked over at Riley who was perched against his desk, tossing up a baseball and catching it with his other hand.

“Working on it”   
“Working on the warrant or staying awake?”  
“How about both?” Pine replied with a slight snarl that got the attention of Fusco  
“Hey tea stain, relax. He was only asking a question. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?”  
“I only got two hours sleep.”  
“Then we better get you some strong coffee. Lionel can hold the fort” Riley interjected  
“Oh can I captain fantastic?!”

Riley raised his eyebrows and placed the baseball back on his desk before folding his arms across his chest and tilting his head to one side. Fusco huffed and shook his head, he could almost sense the incoming bribe coming his way.

“If you’re a good dog, I’ll buy you a doughnut”  
“You’re not funny”  
“I don’t try to be”

He pushed himself off his desk and walked over to Pine’s desk, waiting for him as Pine slowly raised up from his desk and rubbed his eyes. Riley gently patted his shoulder and lead him out of the precinct. They took a short five minute walk to a cafe on the corner of Leroy street. Pine pulled up a chair next to the window overlooking the street while Riley ordered the drinks and a doughnut for Lionel. Pine ran his fingers through his hair and watched the people walking past the window as his thoughts started to drift, he was still tussling the demons in his head. If he did what was morally right in his mind, he would have to face the possibility of losing his own life. If he did what Greer asked, he would need to learn to live with the grief and the fresh new demons it would create, which would undoubtedly drive him to insanity or worse. Pine knew deep down he wasn’t an evil man, he couldn’t just kill out of cold blood but he was stuck with the choice of having to spare his own life or giving up his sanity.

He was quickly snapped out of his thoughts when a coffee cup was placed in front of him.

“Either you had a wild night last night or there’s something playing on your mind, and since I didn’t see a crowd of people entering your apartment last night, I’m going to go with the latter” Riley said softly as he sat down next to Pine and observed the people passing by.  
“I was thinking about our case… it may have triggered some flashbacks that kept me awake during the night” Pine replied as he gently wrapped his hands around his cup.   
“Did this happen a lot before you came here?” Riley asked  
“No.I guess the anxiety of being new and trying to make an impression adds”

He took a sip of his coffee and then pulled a face at the bitter taste that danced on his tongue.

“Wow that’s strong!”  
“That’s because I asked them to make me one that would wake the dead”  
“Saying I look dead Riley?”  
“You tell me” Riley responded.

Pine just smiled and took another sip of his coffee, grimacing with every sip that he took, which was greeted with the occasional chuckle from Riley.

“Next time I’ll ask for the strongest Earl Grey they have” Riley joked  
“You wouldn’t be able to handle the strongest Earl Grey. You’d probably make it incorrectly for starters.”

Riley just shrugged his shoulders as he finished off his coffee while Pine continued to gaze out of the window. He could feel the coffee was now starting to take effect, the caffeine was starting to race around his body bringing a burst of energy with it.

“Okay. Let’s get back, feed detective Fusco and get this warrant”  
“Guess you’re feeling more alive then?”  
“Like I have just been shocked back to life with a defibrillator.”  
“That usually means it’s working but it also means you’re gonna crash hard later”  
“You didn’t mention th-”  
“Don’t think about it, we got more important things to think about, like a warrant we need”

Pine rolled his eyes and followed Riley out of the cafe back towards the precinct and once they stepped back into the office.

“You do know we will need a few more statements before we can get a warrant right? Can’t just go to the judge with a statement from the mother, we will need to speak to friends, classmates, tutors-”  
“As well as a four hour drive and permission from the captain to stay near the campus while we carry out our investigations”  
“I thought Fusco would be helping-”  
“I wish! Got my own mess to sort out, you’re stuck with captain fantastic Tea stain” Fusco interrupted “Besides he’s already asked the captain to baby sit you, she just put you with me as a way to test the water”  
“....Oh”  
“Having doubts Buckthorn?” Riley asked as he sat himself back down at the desk  
“No”  
“Then you better go speak to the captain and convince her. You better hope she is in a good mood”

Pine frowned at Riley, took a deep breath and headed to the captain's office, He gently knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter before stepping in and closing the door behind him. It was then Riley's phone rang. He checked the number and answered.

“Detective Riley speaking”  
“Hello Detective”  
“Hello Professor, do you have anything you wish to share with me?”  
“I do...I have sent you an email with some information about your new recruit, as I suspected, Ash has gone by many Aliases with a trend of using tree species as a surname.”  
“Like your use of birds?” Riley asked with a smirk  
“You could say that, however I insist you read the data I have sent you. The last time our recruit used an Alias was a few years ago while he was still serving for queen and country”  
“You think British intelligence is involved?”  
“Worse detective Riley….much worse”  
“You find anything else-”  
“I will be sure to send you the information”

The phone clicked and the line went dead, Riley quickly put his phone in his pocket and accessed his emails. Sure enough there was an encrypted email from an unknown source. He knew it was from the professor and opened the email to find a dossier on Ash Buckthorn. It was a military file from when he was first recruited into the Royal Marines but the name didn’t say Ash Buckthorn, it said Jonathan Pine and attached was a picture of a young fresh faced Pine. Riley furrowed his brow as he started to read the information attached. Where he was sent, what unit he was with, deployment dates, injuries, treatments, status reports and performance reviews. Finch probably didn’t have to dig deep to get this information but it certainly opened Reese’s eyes. Pine was out of the service, he could take his own name again yet he opted for another Alias. Was there a logical reason?

“Captain has given us clearance to go up to Cornell. We got three days. Should be more than enough-you okay Riley?”

 

Riley quickly looked up at Pine and then looked back at his screen, quickly closing down his emails as Pine headed towards his desk.

“Sorry was distracted by an email. Have we been cleared to go up today?”  
“We are and May I suggest once we get to our motel, we do our homework”  
“Homework?” Riley asked with a raised brow.  
“.....May have pulled a few strings at the university. It’s not a lot but….they have given us some newsletters where Sean is mentioned. They will give us a basis on which to start”

Fusco smirked as he saw the subtle eye roll from Riley. He knew he hated paperwork, more so than anyone. He was a, “shoot first and ask questions later” Type of guy while Ash was more methodical, in some ways he reminded Fusco of Carter.

“Word to the wise. Riley isn’t one for homework” Fusco chimed in  
“I’m more hands on”  
“Well….we have to work together so I hope you’re not afraid to do some light reading, Detective Riley”

Riley gave Pine the look of disapproval before standing up from his desk and pulling on his blazer.

“Anything more than a page and I get to hit you”  
“Deal.”  
“Then let's get moving”

Riley lead the way as Pine followed behind him.

“Hey Tea stain. Don’t forget he’s all bark and no bite”  
“I won’t. Enjoy your four days of peace detective Fusco”  
“I wil and hey….just call me Fusco”

Pine nodded his head and followed Riley out of the Precinct and to the car depot. They both got into Riley’s car and headed to the Cornell university campus.   
It was a long four hour drive. Pine spent most of it looking out of the window and admiring the contrasting landscapes along their journey. It also gave him time to think about his recent situation. He knew at some point Greer would ring for a progress report and Pine would need to provide him with an update. He could stall Greer, tell him he was still retrieving the relevant information or that he was busy trying to get in amongst their ranks, build up their trust before turning on them. It would be a lie and a dangerous one at that but if it bought him enough time to figure out a way to escape he was going to use it. Sure Pine was a soldier and a spy. He killed a few people while under orders, made them looked like accidents but this was different, his own life was a bargaining chip in this game between Greer and the person Reese works under and what was worse, was that Pine had a feeling he was on the wrong side and not by choice either.

They pulled up at the hotel, Riley got their things out of the trunk of the car while Pine checked them in. He waited for Riley to join him before they both took the elevator to the floor they needed.

“So what room are we in?” Riley asked as they walked along the corridor  
“Oh twenty four...should be this one on the end” Pine replied  
“I hope we have separate beds”  
“Oh why? Worried I might mistake you as a teddy bear in the middle of the night?”

Riley furrowed his brow and glared at Pine.

“I-I was joking….don’t worry I have been assured we have separate beds” Pine responded

He put the key in the door and stepped into the room. It was plush, clean and looked cosy, with a view that overlooked the church nearby as well as parts of the university campus. Pine placed his bag on the bed next to the window and perched himself on the end of the bed while Riley scoped the room out before sitting on the other bed and looking over at Pine.

“That coffee still running through your system?” He asked

Pine smirked and glanced over at Riley.

“Yep”  
“Then let’s get some homework done”  
“Good man!”

Pine twisted himself round and grabbed his bag, unzipping it and pulling out the file that he had taken with him and then sat next to Riley, handing him a few newsletters and articles from the university website, all of them were either highlighting student achievements, individual honours, sports team achievements or breakthrough research or discovery. They had spent two hours or more going over them with a fine tooth comb, Pine would take notes while Riley put together a crude form of a suspect's wall, but as time drew on, Pine could feel himself starting crash. Hard. He hard to fight it off but it was a forgone conclusion.

“I think our first stop tomorrow should be Sean’s lab partner, What do you think Buckthorn?”

There was no response but Riley did feel something heavy pressing against his shoulder. He blinked his eyes slowly and turned his head. Leaning up against him was Pine, fast asleep. The coffee crash has hit him hard. If it was Fusco, Riley would have moved away or slapped him round the face in order to wake him, but Riley was a little more sympathetic with Pine. He understood what he was going through, the flashbacks and the lack of sleep because his mind would refuse to shut down, he understood that waking him up in such a fashion would only startle him and may make him lash out.

Carefully, Riley scooped him up into his arms and carried him over to his bed, placing him carefully down in the middle, he then wrapped the duvet around him and left him to sleep while he tidied up the paperwork, placing it neatly back in the file. He then grabbed a glass from the side and was about to go fill it with water from the bathroom, when he heard a buzzing noise from his bed. Riley furrowed his brow, he knew it wasn’t his phone, which meant it had to be Pines. He walked over to the bed and noticed the phone perched on the edge, the screen lit up like a christmas tree as a withheld number flashed up on the screen. He was in two minds about answering it but as he lifted it off the bed, the number stopped ringing, a few seconds later the phone buzzed twice as a voicemail was left. Riley raised a brow and then tapped his earpiece.

“Are you there professor?”  
“Always Detective”  
“Someone just rang sleeping beauty”  
“I’m guessing sleeping beauty is Pine, Detective Riley?”  
“Well it isn’t going to be me. The number was withheld, are you able to get a tracer on it?”  
“I can but it will take some time.”  
“Better than nothing. Tell me, is the new recruit in danger?”  
“Potentially. His number came up Detective but I need more time to dig up some dirt on Pine before we know where we stand with him”  
“Guess I need to keep close to this kid”  
“Don’t let him out of your sight detective, he maybe a sleeper agent and he may turn and bite you”  
“That’s why I’m going to keep close….because if he decides to turn, I’ll be ready to put him down”  
“No Killing Detective”  
“There may not be a choice”

Riley pressed his ear piece again and then looked at Pine’s phone. He was tempted to listen to the voicemail that was left but strangely thought better of it. Instead he placed the phone on the table and looked at Pine, sleeping soundly, knowing at some point he may wake up in a blind panic because of a flashback that will wake him from his slumber. Riley couldn’t help but feel a little bit of sorrow for him, knowing from his own experience, how tiring it was, but Riley couldn’t help but wonder what sort of trouble he was in, in order to trigger off his flashbacks and set him on edge.

“What have you got yourself into Pine?” Riley said quietly


	5. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A night terror is all it takes to get Pine and Reese talking and finding common ground but as things start to look up, it all rapidly falls apart when Harold reveals something troubling about Pine to Reese.

Pine was sleeping soundly, despite the unfamiliar surroundings and the pressure he was under but it was all about to change. Suddenly his pleasant dream was invaded with horrific images of war, the sounds of gunfire going off all around him, comrades being shot to pieces as a river of blood trickled past his feet. The nightmare was causing Pine to thrash in his sleep and then he woke up with a jolt, gasping for breath as sweat trickled down from his forehead.

“Fuck!” He exclaimed loudly as he ran his fingers through his hair “Fuck, fuck fuck, fucking hell!”

Pine for a moment forgot that he was sharing a room with Riley, until the detective gently tapped his shoulder and presented him with a glass of water, which Pine took, shakily. He lifted the glass to his lips and was about to drink.

“Slowly” Riley gently commanded

Pine drank the water slowly, which helped to steady his breathing. He passed Riley the empty glass, which he placed on the dresser before he sat himself down on the end of Pine’s bed. He had been there before, he knew the drill and he knew exactly what Pine was facing, the difference was he was there for Pine, no one was there for him.

“What happened?” Riley asked  
“I don’t want to talk about it”  
“Okay. Have fun trying to get back to sleep then” Riley responded as he was about to go back to his own bed.  
“Wait!”

Riley paused and glanced at Pine, he could see the fear that still lingered in his eyes as the night terror was still freshly embedded into his mind.

“I was in afghanistan....There was gunfire around me, my squad was being shot to shit and I was surrounded by a river of blood…I fucking hate these dreams”  
“Do you have the same dream?” Riley asked  
“No...no it can vary”  
“How often?”  
“Well…..If I am under pressure, every day”  
“And I’m guessing, since your ex special forces, you haven’t seen a professional have you?” Riley asked

Pine hung his head and shook it ashamedly from side to side. It seemed to be a trait that all ex special forces members developed. Pretend everything is fine, when deep down inside you’re falling apart from all the crippling terrors and survivor's guilt. It was ingrained into Reese, while working with the CIA, that he couldn’t appear weak or let his guard slip. This was no doubt something that Pine was taught as well. It would have become instinct to cover up your true emotions, wear a mask and fight your inner turmoil privately. So going for help was never seen as an option, despite how hard the battle was being fought.

Reese gently laid his hand on Pine’s shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze. Pine looked up at him, the fear had gone but it was replaced with a look of hopelessness, something was troubling him but Reese couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was and if he asked, Pine would undoubtedly put up the walls and say it was nothing. Hopefully Harold would be able to dig up some info but for now Reese needed to assure him and keep him calm.

“You’re not alone. Get some sleep” He said softly before getting up and heading to his own bed.

Pine took a deep breath and laid himself back down on the bed, trying to calm his thoughts but they weren’t in a hurry to leave, yet strangely, despite the situation he was in, he felt the urge to talk, talk to the man he was hired to kill and possibly the only man who understood what he was facing.

“I’ve never spoken about what I have gone through...not even to the woman I fell in love with...I kept it all bottled up and eventually it drove her away...I lost the woman I loved because I couldn’t talk to her”

He could feel tears prick the corners of his eyes and roll down his cheek. He then heard a heavy sigh come from Riley before he spoke.

“I loved someone once... She was beautiful but I couldn’t let her in...so I let her go. Few years later we meet at an airport, she was engaged but something wasn’t right, she told me if I said for her to wait for me, she would… but I didn’t...she then rang me once, wanting someone to talk to...at this point she was married and….alarm bells were ringing in my head. I told her to wait for me, told her I’d be a day tops but I got caught up and by the time I returned to US soil, I found out her then husband...killed her. I paid him a visit...but from that point on I became lost”  
“So what changed?” Pine asked  
“Someone found me and gave me a purpose, hope and made me believe in myself once again.”

Pine went quiet then, Reese rolled onto his side to check on him, noticing he was still looking up at the ceiling, possibly wondering when his shot at hope would come and Reese couldn’t help but feel for him. He had been in that situation, he knew the pain he was facing and the path Pine was heading down.

“You’re not alone Ash”  
“I feel alone”  
“Well you’re not. If I left the room, then you’d be alone”

The little joke made Pine chuckle, which was a welcome change of mood for them both.

“Talk to me, I wouldn’t be much of a mentor if I didn’t offer you support” Riley offered  
“Thanks” Pine replied  
“Good. Now shut up and go to sleep”

Pine smiled and started to relax before he fell into a deep sleep, the nightmares were gone, replaced with more, what he deemed “Normal dreams” but no sooner had he closed his eyes, was he gently awoken by a gentle squeeze on the shoulder. Pine slowly opened his eyes to see Riley standing over him, dressed in a white shirt and black jeans.

“Good morning Buckthorn” He said huskily as he presented Pine with a cup of tea. “I asked for the strongest tea they had.”  
“Thanks...What time is it?” Pine asked groggily  
“Nine o'clock, you better get your ass moving pretty boy”  
“Why didn’t you wake me sooner?!” Pine asked as he leapt out of bed and ran to the bathroom.  
“Because you looked peaceful.”

Pine quickly stripped out of the suit he had worked and slept in, he then stepped into the shower and then groaned when he realised he had forgotten to bring in his spare clothes. He quickly showered himself, then stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his waist before going back into the main room to grab his bag, oblivious to the fact that Riley was staring at him.

“I can get away with casual clothes while we’re on campus right?” Pine asked

But there was no response. Pine blinked and looked over at Riley who was still staring at him, a look of disbelief was written all over his face.

“You okay?” Pine asked  
“I’m fine, didn’t think you worked out-Can you just put some clothes on?”  
“Why? Envious of my body?” Pine replied playfully  
“It’s distracting and we’re running late, so move it”

Pine mocked saluted him and headed back into the bathroom, Just as Reese’s phone rang, he tapped his earpiece. It was probably Harold getting back to him about who rang Pine last night.

“Good Morning Professor”  
“It seems your new recruit is in a bit of a bind Detective”  
“How bad?”  
“I managed to access his search history. A few days ago he was desperately looking for jobs as a mercenary, he even went onto online forums and advertised himself and it seems someone managed to answer his call.”

Reese could tell he wasn’t going to like what Harold was going to tell him, the tone of his voice changed, when he was serious the tone of his voice became more sterner, more high pitched and more flustered.

“Go on” Reese said calmly as he watched the bathroom door  
“The night before he joined the precinct, an encrypted email was sent to him and when I tried to access the file, I was being hacked”  
“By Samaritan” Reese replied firmly as his eyebrows furrowed  
“Thankfully the system I was using to access the files wasn’t our own but it seems Pine has attracted their attention, he could even be working for them”  
“Then I’ll have to make sure I don’t blow my cover” Reese replied calmly  
“It might already be too late”  
“Then I’ll deal with it”

He quickly tapped his earpiece to finish the call, un holstered his pistol and marched towards the bathroom, the door was shut but that didn’t stop Reese as he kicked the door, once, twice, three times before the door gave in and Reese barged his way in. Pine had just about turned around to face him when Reese wrapped his hand around his throat and slammed him against the wall while training his pistol on Pine’s skull. Pine felt his heart race as Reese’s grip tightened around his throat, staring at him with a cold steely gaze that made Pine’s blood run cold as the colour drained from his cheeks.

“Talk. Pine” Reese growled  
“They forced me” Pine responded through restricted breath  
“How?!” Reese snarled  
“They knew of my history, they knew I was desperate, they forced me into a corner” Pine gasped “They were going to kill me there and then if I didn’t agree”

Reese growled and then released his grip, dropping Pine unceremoniously on the floor. Pine choked and gasped for breath as his hand instinctively reached for his throat. Reese however wasn’t letting him go that easily. He still trained the gun on him, standing in between him and the door. He wasn’t afraid to pull the trigger and Pine knew that. He would need to reason with the man, somehow

“They wanted me to find you and kill you one by one before I destroy this….Machine or something...they said you and your team are a threat...and you needed to be stopped”  
“Keep talking” Reese growled  
“They hired me because I took down Roper from the inside out and they are hoping I can do the same”

Reese cocked the gun and pressed the barrel firmly to Pine’s forehead while he leaned in close. Pine could feel his breath against his skin, his steely blue eyes locked with his. Pine could feel the tension in the room increasing rapidly, as his heart thumped hard in his chest.

“So give me a reason why I shouldn’t put you down right now, pretty boy” Reese uttered calmly as he held Pine’s gaze, seeing the fear creeping back into his eyes again.

Pine gulped hard, hoping he could reason with Reese.

“Two reasons...One I don’t want to kill you, they are using my life as a bargaining chip right now and despite knowing I could die, I am still formulating a plan to escape and ensure you and your friends stay safe”  
”And the other reason?”  
“I can do to them what I did to Roper, take them down from the inside out”  
“What’s the catch?”  
“I need you to trust me” Pine replied as he gulped hard  
“Trust you? You’re a spy Pine! You know never to trust a spy.”  
“Always a first time for everything”

Reese paused a moment before flashing Pine a wolfish grin.

“Looks like the reaper has spared you” Reese said coolly as he lowered his gun and tapped his earpiece “Come in Harold”  
“Is he still alive?” He asked  
“Luckily for him you spared his life”  
“Jonathan Pine was released from service medically, After exposing Roper and his gang, his PTSD got worse, british intelligence agreed to release him on medical grounds. He seeked helped and went through a number of therapists while he took up a job as a night manager in one of many distinguished hotels around the world before settling in New York. Unfortunately he recently lost his job and Pine seeked to return back into the special services but they rejected him, said he was too much of a risk-”  
“And that’s why he he looked at doing mercenary work” Reese interrupted  
“Exactly. Decima preyed on him and exposed his weaknesses, he is not a threat Detective, just a pawn in their game”  
“So how do we free him?”  
“I’m working on it but for now, do not let him out of your sight, no matter what”

Reese tapped his earpiece to end the call as Pine took a moment to gather his thoughts, he had to admit, Reese and his team worked quickly, which lead him to believe that they must have caught wind before he was even signed up by Decima and Greer.

“I had no choice” Pine said quietly, head in his hands  
“What do they know about us?” Reese asked firmly  
“I haven’t told them anything”  
“So were they ringing for an update last night?”   
“How would I know? I was asleep….virtually in your arms”

Reese growled and started to back up out of the bathroom.  
“Move and I’ll kill you” He gruffed  
He went back into the bedroom and searched for Pine’s phone, he couldn’t remember where he left it after last night, he pulled out draws, tossed away pillows and stripped down the beds before eventually finding it on one of the dressers. He grabbed it and marched into the bathroom, thrusting the phone under Pine’s nose.

“They left you a message”

Pine took the phone from Reese’s hand, he was about to unlock the phone when the screen came to life as the phone started to vibrate and an unknown number appeared on the screen. Pine gulped, he knew that would be Greer. He looked up at Reese.

“It’s them”


	6. Why me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His cover is blown, his life now increasingly more in danger but Pine still has a job to do and a case to close, Reese however has other ideas and his stubborness soon puts him into trouble and the only man to spare his life is the same man he wanted dead. Johnathan Pine.

Pine stared at his phone like a rabbit in headlights, his brain rapidly thinking up of something to say as he knew their reason for calling was for an update on proceedings. He took a deep breath and accepted the call, lifting the phone shakily to his ear.

“Good Morning Jonathan” Came the silky tones of Greer “You missed my call last night. Everything okay?”

Pine gulped as he caught sight of the cold hard stare coming from Reese.

“I was tired and fell asleep. I’m sorry I didn’t hear the phone go off”  
“Never mind, we’re talking now, have you managed to find anything on our targets yet?” Greer asked

Pine could feel a chill run down his spine as his mind raced, trying to make up an answer that would satisfy Greer. He was usually good at lying through his teeth, he did it with roper many times before but Roper wasn’t breathing down his neck while he was doing it, Roper wasn’t the one giving him the killer look like Reese was right now. One slip of the tongue, one word out of place and Pine could guarantee Reese firing a bullet between his eyes and he was cold enough to cover it from his boss too, make it look or sound like an accident.

“At the moment, I’m on a case up state, out of the office. I don’t have the resources on me to do any delving but I have got someone working on collecting information for me, making it appear related to the case. It has been slow but have no fear sir, I am on the case.”  
“How long are you up state for?”  
“Three days”  
“Then in four days I will ring you and with any luck you will have us some information. Goodbye Pine”  
“Goodbye sir”

Pine hung the phone up and looked up at Reese, he was about to speak before Reese grabbed him by collar of his tee and slammed him against the wall, hard, causing Pine to wince in discomfort, he then leaned in close, pine could feel his warm breath against his cheek, his lips inches away from his flesh causing a new sensation to wash over him, fear mixed with anticipation.

“If you expose us Pine...I will feed you to the wolves. Do you understand?” Reese growled lowly into his ear  
“Completely” 

A growl rumbled deep within Reese’s throat before he released Pine and made his way out of the bathroom. Pine took a moment to catch his breath and let his thoughts catch up with him. His cover was blown, Reese was baying for his blood and if he didn’t come up with the goods for Greer, he’d have Decima coming after him as well. 

He slid down the wall to his knees and held his head, cursing himself, wondering why he listened to that voice in his head that told him to return to the spy world or put himself as a mercenary for sale. He could have easily taken another job as a night manager someplace else but no, he was getting itchy feet, he wanted to get back into the game and he allowed curiosity to get the better of him, resulting in him being thrown into even deeper waters than when he first started. After a moment he finally gathered himself, his hands were shaking terribly as the adrenaline continued to surge through his veins, his stomach was in knots and then in a split second he rushed to the toilet, hanging his head over the bowl as he retched and coughed up the contents of his stomach. He hung there for a moment before moving to the sink to rinse his mouth out, trying to get rid of the acidic tang that was left behind. There was nothing more he could do, he had to accept the fate laid out before him and play the game.

He took a moment to stare at himself in the mirror, psyching himself up before stepping out of the bathroom and back into bedroom. He tried not to make eye contact with Reese but he could feel his eyes boring into him, analysing him, watching his movements intensely. He wasn’t taking any chances and Pine wasn’t blaming him, gaining his trust wasn’t going to be an easy task, he knew that from day one but it was going to be even worse now.

“Staring daggers at me isn’t going to ease the situation” Pine chastised  
“But it makes me feel better if I pretend to throw them at you”

Pine clenched his jaw and threw Reese a look, which was met with a cold hard look in return, both men trying to stare the other down before eventually Pine stepped down and turned away to grab his coat, they still had a case to close, despite what side they were on. Both men left the room in silence, both of them keeping their distance, a theme that continued throughout the working day, Pine interviewed friends of Sean while Reese quizzed the tutors and other students that attended the same classes as Sean. Neither of them spoke to the other and by the end of the shift, Pine retired back to the hotel room to go over notes he had taken, Reese on the other hand, had not yet returned to the room, perhaps trying his best to avoid Pine at all costs, not that Pine blamed him, his reaction was valid and Pine would perhaps react the same if he was in his shoes. He thought himself lucky that Reese, or rather the man on the other end of his phone, had spared him from an untimely death, most spies or ex servicemen would have put a bullet in his brain if they were in Reese’s position. Yet while he was spared by Reese, there was still the matter of Greer and Decima looming over his head.

Pine sighed, he looked at his watch and noticed it was now ten at night, Reese was still not back, perhaps doing some solo work of his own or resuming the role of his alter ego, whichever one it was, it at least kept him away from Pine. He pushed himself off the bed and grabbed his coat, the only way he was going to clear his head was to take a long walk, perhaps a stroll around the campus would help to not only calm him but force his mind to focus on the case. He took a 20 minute walk to the university campus and started to walk around. The campus was quiet, there was only a few students walking around doing the same thing that he was doing, clearing their heads or getting a breath of fresh air. Even when Pine reached the residence halls, it seemed fairly quiet. 

Pine walked a little further and then paused a moment, sitting down on a bench before pulling his phone out to check for messages or missed calls but there was nothing. He wasn’t surprised but it also worried him, surely if Reese knew of his secret, he’d want to keep tabs on him. Pine quickly tucked his phone back into his pocket and started to make his way back to the hotel, something was off.

Reese had managed to find a way into the department of animal science and was walking through the dark corridors, armed only with a small torch, towards the lab that Sean used frequently. He was hoping there was something laying around the lab that could help further their investigations and pinpoint the people responsible for his death. As he approached the lab he looked around for any cameras making sure the area was all clear before he started to jimmy the door open using a bobby pin and a hair clip. Once the door opened, Reese slipped into the lab and started to look around, going through drawers and filing cabinets to try and find anything relating to what Sean was working on, even if it was just a formula, which he could at least send to Harold but there was nothing evident. He then pulled out the bottom draw of the filing cabinet he was rifling through and found a small notebook that had Sean’s name on it.

“Bingo” He gruffed as he picked it out of the draw

He then placed the torch in his mouth and opened up the notebook, quickly flicking through the pages for anything significant. So far there only seemed to be the results of many failed experiments, he continued to flick through till he reached one page that had the word “SLEIPNER” Scrawled across it. Reese raised an eyebrow and tapped his earpiece.

“Professor….What’s a Sleipner?” He asked as he studied the page, noting the harshly scratched letters  
“Sleipner is a mythological horse found in the norse mythologies. It has eight legs and was given to Odin as a gift from Loki, the trickster god” Harold responded “Why do you ask?”  
“Something I found in Sean’s notebook. Do you think it could be the name of his serum?”  
“Potentially. After all Sleipner was created when Loki shapeshifted into a horse, to lure Svadilfari and ended up being impregnated”  
“Well…...That’s disturbing”  
“That’s the norse for you Detective, I’ll see if I can find anything my end for you. Is there anything written in the notebook after that?”

Reese quickly flicked through but could only find blank pages

“Nope nothing”  
“Then he probably didn’t get chance to finish it”  
“Guess not”  
“How’s Buckthorn?” Harold ask  
“In bed fast asleep. Man has a bedtime”  
“Your answer doesn’t sound very convincing”  
“Oh...I’m sorry, I thought I was a detective, not a babysitter”  
“Detective-”  
“Don’t worry I’m heading back now. Night professor”

Reese tapped his earpiece, pocketed the notebook and turned around to leave the lab, yet as he started to walk away, the door to the lab swung open and three men burst in, all of them wearing black ski masks and black clothing. 

“Don’t you boys ever knock?” Reese gruffed  
“Who the fuck are you?!” One of them shouted  
“A concerned third party?”

Reese grins as they ran towards him, fists were flying, bodies were thrown and hits were taken. Reese had just recovered from a push back, as soon as he got to his feet he had to dodge yet another hook punch that was being swung in. As soon as he ducked it, he grabbed the guy and threw him over the desk, sending him crashing into the neatly stacked beakers that soon ended up smashed on the floor but then Reese got caught out as one grabbed him from behind, wrapping his arm tightly around his throat, Reese snarled and stamped his foot hard on the other guys foot, as the guy buckled over, Reese grabbed the guy's arm and threw him over his shoulder, slamming him onto the hard flooring, winding him for a moment but that was when the third guy took his chance, he grabbed some of the broken glass and ran at Reese, swinging wildly, hoping to cut him but Reese was quick and within seconds he had the guy on the floor in a daze. Reese took a moment to straighten himself up and then as he turned to leave, another three entered the lab, dressed the same.

“Really?” Reese asked as they came at him.

It was at that moment Pine also burst into the lab and managed to gain their attention.

“Better late than never!”  
“Three each?” Pine asked  
“Why not”

Reese started to duck the wild punches from the previous three that he had decked while Pine took on the new batch of thugs, he was making light work of them, throwing them across tables, slamming them into walls and doors. One guy managed to pick himself up and go for Pine again but as soon as he lunged at Pine, he had moved out of his way, grabbed his shoulders and pulled him down to the ground in one swift movement. Pinee then dodged a punch coming in from his left, Pine quickly grabbed the guys arm and quickly popped the socket out of the shoulder joint before dropping him to the floor, leaving him to scream in agony. The third one speared him, sending him crashing to the floor, Pine guarded himself from the punches that started to reign down on him, timing them before finding a break, he used his left arm to deflect a punch and then with his right, punched the guy square in the nose, breaking it, this then gave Pine the chance to roll the guy off him and as soon as Pine got to his feet, he made sure to break his ankle, causing the guy to shriek.

Pine then looked over at Reese, he was doing okay but then, just as Pine was going to run over and help, one of the thugs picked up a glass shard and had stabbed Reese in chest with it. Blood started to ooze from the wound. Reese snarled and pushed the guy away, his hand instinctively reaching for the wound to put pressure on the bleeding but his guard was down and that opened Reese up to an attack from behind.

“Reese behind you!” Pine shouted

But it was too late. A thug from behind had managed to pick up one of the fire extinguishers and cracked Reese across the skull with it, knocking him flat out. This angered Pine and he flew over, grabbing the guy who stabbed Reese and flung him across the lab, giving him time to work on the other one. He quickly snatched the extinguisher and paid the guy back, smacking him round the head with it. Knocking him out. He then went for the one remaining thug, who was scurrying around trying to get away.

“Please….Don’t….they forced me into it” He pleaded  
“Did they now?”  
“Yeah...Yeah…”  
“So why did you do it?”  
“.....They paid me man”  
“Oh” Pine replied, his eyes going dark “Well that makes you no better than the rest of them.”  
“What?”  
“I said….it makes you no better”

The thug gulped hard

“Please don’t hurt me”  
“Too late to beg now”  
“But-”

Pine in one swing, cracked the guy across the head with the fire extinguisher, knocking him out as well. He then rushed over to Reese and quickly checked for a pulse. He still had one but Pine was more concerned about the stab wound, his shirt was soaked with blood. Pine looked around the lab, there was a first aid pack hanging up on the opposite side of the lab. Pine quickly walked over and grabbed it, he opened it up and pulled out a few medical gauzes and a big adhesive dressing which he stuffed into his pockets along with a few Alcohol wipes to clean the wound with. He then managed to lift Reese to his feet and threw him over his shoulder in a fireman's lift and made his way out the lab, hitting the fire alarm on his way out

They managed to get to the hotel swiftly, Pine had acquired a Vehicle and drove them back, he then took the back entrance into the hotel, carrying Reese up a few flights of stairs before getting him to their room, he lowered Reese onto the bed and pulled out the medical supplies that he took from the lab as well as some pain meds that he brought with him and a glass of water.

“Well there’s no other way” Pine said softly as he looked at Reese laying, out cold on the bed.

Pine went round to the side, took a deep breath and started to slowly unbutton Reese’s shirt, monitoring him, hoping he doesn’t come round any time soon. Once he had unbutton the shirt, he then started on the delicate task of moving the fabric away from the wound. It wasn’t going to be simple, some of the fabric was stuck to the skin thanks to the dry sticky blood that was absorbed by the shirt, he started to slowly and carefully peel the fabric away from the skin, giving him a true indication of the size of the wound and potentially how deep it went, thankfully the wound was starting to seal up but as Pine was about to reach for some gauzes, a hand quickly wrapped itself round his throat, squeezing his windpipe. Pine glanced down, Reese was now wide awake and giving Pine the death glare.

“Don’t!” He snarled  
“I was only patching you up” Pine replied “I wasn’t going to hurt you okay...I was going to clean your wound up and patch you up...look for yourself...the stuff I’ll be using are on the chest of drawers next to you”

He gestured with his eyes, Reese looked over and could see the gauzes, alcoholic wipes and a couple of the big adhesive bandages, he then glanced back at Pine, holding his gaze momentarily before releasing his hand from around his throat. He then eased himself up, wincing in pain.

“Alright fine, be quick about it” He growled  
“Gonna need you to take your shirt off”  
“Turning this into a strip show now Pine?”  
“If you wanna make a song and dance about it then fine but I just want better access to the wound”

Reese rolled his eyes and started to slowly remove his shirt and blazer, wincing in discomfort before he discarded them on the floor next to him. Pine then moved in and started to clean up the wound on his left pectoral, which gave Pine an invitation to look him over, checking to see if there was any more injuries sustained. There wasn’t any other obvious injuries that caught his eye, only some slight bruising to his ribs, however Pine did notice he had a good physique for his age and he could feel the muscle definition beneath his fingertips, which in turn caused Pine to bite his bottom lip. He then grabbed a couple of gauzes and pressed them firmly over the wound.

“I need you to keep pressure on the wound for a moment, while I sort out the dressing” Pine ordered

Reese didn't argue, as soon as Pine released the pressure, Reese clamped his hand firmly over the wound and applied as much pressure as his own body allowed while Pine quickly ripped open the packaging of the dressing, ripping off the paper strip on the back of the dressing and then started to apply it over the wound, Reese removed his hands as the dressing started to hold the gauzes in place.

“Right….Lets see how that goes….if it’s still bleeding in the morning, I’m taking you to the hospital”  
“Good call Pine, Admit me to a nearby hospital and invite Decima to take me out” Reese spat  
“I’m sure you can get your friend to create you a false patient record”  
“You’re medically trained, am I correct?” Reese asked, changing the subject slightly  
“Basic training but yes”  
“So you know how to stitch up a wound”  
“Yes”  
“So if it is still bleeding in the morning….I’m sure you can go to reception and ask for a needle and thread to repair a split in your shirt”  
“Are you insane?!”  
“No. I just don’t trust you yet”  
“Okay well next time you get jumped by a gang of thugs, I’ll leave you to get your head kicked in” Pine replied angrily as he clenched his jaw, locking eyes with Reese.

The two of them were trying to stare the other down and while Reese had mastered the cold hard menacing stare to a tee, Pine could feel his eyes doing something else to him, he could feel his heart began to race as he found himself getting lost in those eyes, causing his thoughts to turn into wild lustful thoughts, wanting the man before him to undress him with those eyes as well as a physical need to have the man dominate over him. Thoughts that Pine had rarely encountered before and yet somehow, despite Pine trying desperately disguise his thoughts from Reese, he had a feeling the man knew as a smirk started to spread across his lips. Pine shook his head and broke his gaze.

“Fine I’ll suture the wound myself if it’s not fused together by morning” Pine responded in an annoyed tone  
“Good boy” Reese responded, mockingly “Now...don’t you think you should go and clean yourself up like all good doctors do after a procedure?”

He tilted his head to one side and smirked as he watched Pine’s cheeks slowly turn red. 

“Yeah….Well you should be a good patient and get some rest” Pine replied  
“Only if the patient next to me manages to sleep through the night”  
“And if he don’t? What are you going to do then Reese, smother him in his sleep?”  
“Don’t tempt me” Reese replied huskily as he stood up from the bed, squaring up to Pine

Pine furrowed his brow, He wasn’t going to let Reese intimidate him and squared up to Reese, both of them staring intensely at the other, their noses almost touching. Pine could feel his heart racing in his chest, fighting back the urge to kiss the man in front of him, fighting back the lustful thoughts that plagued his mind once again. This was not something he had experienced before, it scared him but at the same time it gave him a buzz, he wanted Reese to chase after him and assert his alpha male dominance over him while at the same time playing his game.

“Just remember who saved your life tonight” Pine replied quietly before walking to the bathroom to wash his hands

He slammed the door shut and started to fill the sink with warm soapy water. He then plunged his hands into the water and started to wash his hands free from the blood, while he wrestled with his thoughts, trying to understand, why suddenly now was he seeing Reese in a new light, why all of a sudden he started lusting over him like a schoolboy with a crush on his tutor. Was it because he liked the way Reese asserted himself? How he had an air of confidence and leadership? Or was it because Reese came across as arrogant, blunt and sarcastic? He couldn’t quite pin, what it was that drove Pine into this lustful state of mind and it was driving him mad.

He removed his hands from the sink and shook the water off his skin, before placing them either side of the sink and glancing at himself in the mirror, he hardly recognised himself, it wasn’t the same man looking back at him, there was something different about him, something had changed but what?

“What the hell is happening to me?”


	7. Loose lips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being patched up by Pine, Reese goes to a nearby bar for a nightcap where he is soon joined by Pine who just wants to silence the Demons in his head but after a few too many, Pine ends up spilling a bit more than a few loose truths.

Ten minutes felt like ten hours, his hands had become wrinkled and soft from the countless amount of times he washed and rinsed his hands, distracting himself from the whirlpool of thoughts that swirled around his head, strange and confusing thoughts that he had never encountered before, feelings that only surfaced when he met Sophie or Jed, feelings that he caged away when Sophie was murdered or when Jed had walked out of his life and now, oddly he was experiencing them again but for Reese. He was stepping into dangerous territory, when he was forced to accept Decima’s proposition he knew he should not get emotionally attached to his target. That was one of the core rules that he was taught whilst working undercover but like with Jed, Pine could feel himself getting emotionally involved, he was already risking his own life trying to save Reese and the other Targets on his list, allowing himself to be spun by lustful thoughts would only muddy the waters further. 

He pulled the plug out of the sink, watching as the water swirled down the plug hole before he put the plug back in again and half filled the sink with cold water. He took a deep breath and then splashed the cold water in his face, he then dried his hands on the towel and stepped out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, only to find that Reese was no longer sitting on the edge of his bed. He had disappeared and it seemed he had got changed, his suitcase had moved position slightly and there seemed to be an indent on the bed where Reese would have placed it to open it up along with a note. Pine picked up the note off the bed and unfolded the paper.

“Taking Liquid Medication at Agava Restaurant”

Pine sighed and chucked the note back on his bed before making his way out of the room, he knew what liquid medication meant, it meant Reese was at the bar, numbing the pain with alcohol, a temporary fix that could potentially be more trouble than it was worth. He made his way down to the lobby and asked for directions to the restaurant, luckily it was only a four minute walk from where they were. He thanked the receptionist and made his way to the restaurant, keeping his eyes open in case Reese may have keeled over somewhere. It was something that Pine was starting to quickly learn about Reese, he was stubborn, head strong, if Pine said no, Reese would do it anyway just to piss him off or prove a point. So when Pine told him to take it easy, it only made sense for Reese to completely go against that request and frustrate him further.

Pine entered the restaurant and politely told the waiter, waiting at the door, that he was meeting a friend at the bar who he could already see, sitting at the bar, hunched over and nursing what looked like a shot of neat bourbon on the rocks. He made his way over and sat down on the stool next to him. Reese didn't even glance at Pine but he somehow knew that it was Pine sitting next to him.

“I see you're finished with your Macbeth routine” He said with a smirk on his lips.  
“I see your sense of humour hasn't been affected” Pine replied as he watched Reese carefully “Whiskey to ease the pain?”  
“You could say that, you should try it, might make you relax a little.”  
“I can't relax. Too much on my mind”  
“So have a drink. It'll shut the demons up for a while”  
“Loose lips sink ships”  
“How long have you been in the game?” Reese asked as he swirled the whiskey around in the glass.  
“Few months”

Reese just smirks and takes a sip of his whiskey, Pine reminded him a lot of when he first started in the spy game, all up tight and focusing on trying not to get caught or trying not to die. His mentor soon broke him out of that rigid way of thinking and opened his eyes to the world he was entering and it was made abundantly clear that being stiff and uptight would only make things worse.

“What’s funny?” Pine asked as Reese pushed his glass towards the bar man  
“I used to be like you….rigid and uptight, didn’t want to drink while on duty, did everything I was asked like a good soldier and focused on keeping my head down and not dying. You think you’re doing a good job but the truth is, you stand out like a sore thumb and you become an easy target. So stop putting on an act and loosen up or you’ll find yourself dead in seconds.”  
“I managed it with Roper okay” Pine replied  
“And I bet you was constantly looking over your shoulder, probably made some rookie mistakes and jumping every five minutes”

Pine furrowed his brow and glanced over at Reese only to be met with the steely cold blue eyes staring right back at him while he wore a smirk on his lips. Compared to Greer, Roper was a different kettle of fish altogether. Roper was smart but he made simple and easy mistakes that made it easy to catch him out and even though Pine found him to be a challenge, he was nothing compared to Greer. Greer wasn’t stupid, Greer will see through the thin veil and a small mistake made would be costly. Reese knew that, from what Pine read, Reese had years upon years of experience working undercover, he knew how to blend in, he knew how to time procedures perfectly and he knew how to cover up any mistakes without a trace. He could teach Pine how to be better, be a mentor to him but Pine knew he would need to get his trust and right now there wasn’t much trust between them. He sighed and glanced at Reese’s drink as a means to break the intense staring contest they were having.

“Fine. I’ll have what you’re having” Pine responded  
“Neat Bourbon? Are you sure pretty boy?”  
“I’ve had neat whiskey since the age of sixteen. I’m pretty sure blue eyes”  
“You’ve not even had a drop yet and you’re ballsy enough to give me a nickname”  
“Well you keep calling me pretty boy, so I’m gonna keep calling you blue eyes...blue eyes”

Reese smirked and ordered another neat bourbon on the rocks for Pine, he then slid it across to him and watched as Pine knocked it back and slammed the empty glass down on the bar before sliding it back to Reese.

“Keep ‘em coming” He ordered  
“This isn’t tequila pretty boy” Reese warned   
“I got a lot of demons to silence”  
“Trying to silence them faster will only make them louder in the morning, taking your time, will keep them numb for a few hours when you wake up”

Reese ordered him another and slid it over to him. Pine took it and swirled the bourbon round in the glass and was about to knock it back when he caught the look Reese was throwing him.

“Sip it”

Pine just smirked and knocked it back before ordering another from the barman.

“Why? I wake up in the morning, I’ll still be in the same predicament I am in now, so it won’t matter how I drink my bourbon...or should I say whiskey?”

Reese frowned and as Pine was about to grab the glass, Reese quickly snatched it from him, causing a growl to escape Pine’s lip, he was about to snatch it back but Reese quickly put the glass to his lips and drank its contents before sliding the glass back to Pine.

“You wanna play that game Pretty boy?”  
“Bring it on blue eyes”

Pine ordered the first round of bourbon, both men raised their glasses at the same time, knocked back the contents and slammed the glass down on the bar top, both men pulling a face before passing their glasses back to the barman for a refill. Reese bought the next round, then Pine, then Reese, then Pine again. Glass after glass after glass of neat whiskey was thrown back and after an hour, they had, at least, knocked back ten rounds each before Reese called it a night, he knew his limits and knew that he was halfway to being on the floor, Pine however was barely keeping himself up, he was slouched over the bar, eyes heavy and his balance was shot.

“One more…” He slurred as Reese took his glass away  
“I think you have had enough Pretty boy”  
“No….If I have one more….I beat you blue eyes”  
“And then you’d spend half the night watching your dinner come up in reverse...and then I’d have to play doctor”

Pine smirked and looked up at Reese, his eyes glazed over as he started to slide along the bar slowly.

“I wouldn’t mind you playing Doctor” Pine responded with a sultry look in his eye.

Reese blinked and then quickly grabbed Pine before he fell off the bar stool. Pine burst out laughing as Reese steadied him.

“Okay Blue eyes, it’s time to go back”  
“Ooooooooh we going back for coffee?”  
“No.”  
“Awwwwwwwww spoil sport”

Reese grabbed Pine’s arm and draped it over his shoulders and gently helped him to his feet. Pine staggered a bit and then smirked as he rested his head on Reese’s shoulder.

“Take me home Blue eyes”

Pine giggled as Reese rolled his eyes and started to usher Pine out of the restaurant. It took longer than five minutes to walk back to the hotel. Pine was barely able to walk, every couple of steps, Reese had to stop so that Pine could regain his balance, at one point Reese virtually dragged him along the road because Pine’s legs refused to work properly. Despite it being frustrating to Reese, Pine in his drunken state found it some what amusing, giggling at every exasperated look Reese was throwing him or the fed up sighs as Pine started singing. Eventually after twenty minutes of guiding Pine back, they eventually made it to the hotel. Reese at this point had thrown Pine over his shoulder and once he had entered the lift, he practically threw Pine into the corner and selected their floor.

“Heeeeeeeey not so rough big boy” Pine slurred as he eyed Reese up.  
“Surprised you felt it pretty boy”

Pine smirked as he slowly slid down the wall

“That a euphemism Blue eyes?” Pine asked as he raised his eyebrows and giggled 

Reese shook his head and helped prop him back up as the lift started to climb to their floor.

“What was you doing in the labs without a warrant? Hmm?” Pine asked  
“Detective work”  
“Yeeeeeah but without a warrant? That's naughty you naughty boy”  
“It's called bending the rules Pretty boy. We were off duty. Technically we didn't break the rules and we prevented a burglary.”  
“...More like I...pretty boy...stopped your head getting kicked in. You owe me blue eyes…”  
“Gonna bribe me now?”  
“Maybe”

Reese raised an eyebrow as the lift doors opened on their floor.Pine smirked at him and stumbled out of the lift only making a few steps down the corridor before falling to the floor. There was a displeased groan that escaped Reese’s lips, Pine however was clearly unfazed as he rolled onto his back and giggled some more.

“Hey…can you tell the hotel...to stop spinning?”  
“Get up pretty boy”  
“I can’t…my legs won’t work”  
“Fine. I’ll drag you back to the room”  
“You’re injured…”  
“Didn’t stop me carrying your drunk ass back”  
“Was it a nice drunk ass?”  
“Get. Up”  
“No”  
“Fine”

Reese in his frustration grabbed Pine by the ankle and started to drag him along the corridor which only seemed to amuse Pine, as he started to giggle even more, not caring about the fact his clothes were being pushed up his torso or that the carpet under him was starting to give him carpet burn. For the moment he was numb and the demons had been silenced. For the moment he was in a good place but being drunk meant he had no control over his thoughts or his mouth. A smirk grew on his lips as Reese dragged him back to their room, still holding Pine’s ankle as he got the key fob out of his pocket and put it into the lock, the door unlocked and Reese pushed the door open.

“Is this how...you bring women...back to your room?” Pine asked between hiccups  
“No”  
“Cause if I was a woman...I’d be seriously in the mood now”  
“Well I’m glad you’re not a woman”  
“No...I’m a stunning man….with a drunken ass, Ass you’re drunk go home now”  
“Are you going to get up?” Reese asked with frustration in his voice”  
“Noooooooo”  
“Okay. Night then”

Reese entered the room and shut the door behind him, causing Pine to push himself up onto his elbows and stare at the now shut door, a puzzled look on his face.

“Hey...Hey Blue eyes that wasn’t cool”

Reese rolled his eyes as he heard Pine through the door, the man was in a state, opting to use drink as a way to vanquish his demons, going down the same dark road he once travelled down when he was struggling to cope and Reese, although he would never admit it to Pine, would never wish for a bright and talented young man such as him, to go down that dark and lonely path on his own but what worried him was despite the danger he was already in, what was going to happen to Pine after all was said and done. It was clear he was already heading down the path Reese was once on and Reese didn’t like the idea but Pine was going to need him, not just to save his ass from Decima, but to stop him from destroying himself even more.

He tapped his ear piece

“Riley?”  
“Professor”  
“What can I do for you Detective?”  
“Any progress on an escape for the boy wonder ?”  
“Only one at the moment. I’m working on it though, why do you ask?”  
“I worry he’s going down the same path I once took...we need to keep an eye on him after this is done”  
“We? Detective, no offence but you are more suited to look after him than I or the others...he reminds me very much of you...only younger and English”  
“Be careful with your words professor”  
“How is he?”  
“Drunk...he says it silences the Demons. Are you able to find out how often he would visit a bar before he got involved in this mess?”  
“I’ll have to go through some previous bank transactions but I should be able to tell you tomorrow….what will you do with him Detective?”  
“Sober him up”  
“Plenty of water and painkillers for the morning. What was he drinking?”  
“Neat Bourbon”  
“Sounds like you are in for an interesting night Detective”  
“Thanks Professor”

Reese pressed his ear piece and started to unbutton his shirt, checking the bandage that was over the stab wound, some blood had seeped through the gauze onto the top layer but thankfully it wasn’t oozing or seeping out from underneath. As he reached the last button he could hear Pine, through the door calling out to him in a melodic tone. Blue eyes he would chant over and over, starting off quiet and gradually getting louder and louder. Reese tried to ignore it, hoping he would wear himself out but he persisted and Reese gave in. He marched to the door and threw the door open, looking down at Pine who was sitting up on his elbows with a stupid grin on his face.

“Hi!” He said loudly  
“Shut up and get in” Reese ordered  
“Oooh...like it when you’re feisty”  
“Now!”  
“Yes sir!” Pine replied and mock saluted him

Reese stepped to one side as Pine got on his hands and knees and crawled his way into the room, he managed to get to his bed and haul himself onto the mattress, where he laid on his back, staring at the ceiling in silence, giving Reese a little peace and quiet while he got himself undressed and ready for bed. Yet while their was silence, there was something running around inside Pine’s head and the beauty of Alcohol, was once you had gone beyond the point of no return, you was no longer in control of what your mind spewed out.

“...I wish they killed me” Pine said as he stared at the ceiling “Lost my job, lost my partner, was losing my home...I didn’t have much to live for, Greer said no one would have noticed...he’s probably right.”

Reese raised a brow as he looked at Pine, the alcohol was taking an effect on him.

“But you know...Hero complex...He told me about you and your chums, basically said you were terrorists...but...I knew he was lying. You don’t threaten to kill someone before you hire them you know?”  
“He forced you to take the job?”  
“Yeah...He has something on me….He might have spoke to roper...They may have ties...he probably helped funded Roper or Roper has helped him… I don’t know!”

That tiny assumption that Pine had let spew from his mouth, had set alarm bells in Reese’s head. It was a wild shout but it made sense. Roper was being detained for illegal arms dealing but it didn’t stop him having visitors or going about business in another form. There was nothing to say he and Greer were not in cahoots, there was nothing to say that Roper in some form or another, was helping Decima and if that was the case...Pine was in great danger. Reese tapped his earpiece.

“Professor you there?”  
“As always Detective”

Pine Blinked and then smirked

“That your boyfriend?” Pine teased  
“No.”  
“It is, isn’t it?!”  
“Shut up Pretty boy”  
“Detective everything okay?” Finch asked  
“Everything is fine, Pretty boy is drunk”  
“I am not!” Pine shouted  
“Ignore him. I need to know who has signed in to visit Mr Roper since the day he was thrown into Prison”  
“Not asking alot are we Detective?”  
“I’m sure you can handle it Professor”

Reese pressed his ear piece again, he turned to face Pine, Pine was staring right back at him, his brow furrowed, Jaw clenched, head tilted to one side with his arms folded across his chest.

“Why are you asking about Roper?” He growled  
“Because He and Greer could be connected, which could makes things a little more difficult for us”  
“Why?”  
“Put it together Pretty boy. Roper wants revenge, Greer wants us dead. So they could potentially be working together...we don’t know, I just want to find out and hopefully rule it out”  
“He’s not smart enough.”  
“I wouldn’t rule him out”

Pine scoffed 

“You know nothing about him”  
“I know you stole his girl”

That got a reaction as Pine furrowed his brow, swung his legs over the bed and stumbled towards Reese, getting in his face, his eyes fixed on Reese’s, his breath thick with the smell of bourbon. He sized Reese up, giving him the once over before looking back at him with a smirk on his lips.

“It wasn’t hard...when you have the looks that a woman desires, it’s easy. I bet you had women throwing themselves at you”  
“I wouldn’t know”  
“Quiet and reserved, I like it.”  
“You’re drunk, you should sleep” Reese replied sternly

It was then Pine noticed the stained bandage on his chest and in his drunken state, decided to prod it with his finger. hard, causing Reese to react and grab his wrist, Pine just blinked at him and then grinned.

“Did that hurt?”  
“What do you think?”  
“I think...you’re a good looking guy...but not as good looking as me. You need a new dressing...I can change it…”  
“No you can’t, not in your current state”  
“Awwww come on”  
“No. You’ll probably end up sticking your finger in it”

Pine smirked as a lewd thought crossed his mind, causing Reese to roll his eyes. He knew it was going to be a long night and the morning will be just as painful for them both, admittedly he did tell Pine to loosen up but Pine went too far and the need to drink himself into a stupor in order to silence his Demons, rang alarm bells in Reese’s head as these were similar traits to his own tragic story. He was snapped out of his thought when he felt Pine’s hand gently brush his cheek, his eyes gazing into his, eyelids half lowered and a sultry smile on his lips.

“I’m drunk” Pine stated  
“I know”  
“You’re sexy”  
“So you keep telling me”  
“I’m gonna kiss you”  
“No you’re-”

Pine ignored his protest, he quickly leaned in and kissed him firmly on the lips, which caught Reese off guard. He firmly pushed Pine off him, causing him to stagger back and fall onto his own bed, staring back at Reese with wide eyes as it dawned on him what had just occurred. Reese quickly left the bedroom and headed into the bathroom where he got Pine a glass of water. He then came back into the bedroom and handed him the glass of water.  
“I’m sorry I do-”  
“Save it. You need to sober up and sleep it off”

Pine nodded and gulped down the water which quickly hit his stomach. He quickly put the glass on the floor and ran to the bathroom, spewing up his guts and quickly regretting trying to drink more than Reese. He was trying to be clever but it backfired and soon enough, as the drunken haze started to clear, his head began to pound, his stomach churned and soon enough he was back hanging his head over the toilet and spewing up his guts again.

“Fuck” He groaned as he spat out some excess bile

He managed to pull himself to his feet and staggered towards the sink where he rinsed his mouth round. He then gingerly walked back into the room, found his bed and collapsed on it, holding his head as the demons started to rear their ugly heads again. He could hear them calling to him, calling him useless, a fraud, a fake and a liar. Over and over again to the point it got too much for him and he started to hit himself, calling himself stupid over and over again, till eventually he felt a hand grab his wrist, he quickly turned his head to see Reese holding his wrist.

“I’ve been there, I thought drink would solve the problem but it didn't….and trust me, that path will get darker and darker and darker. It will drive you mad, you made some mistakes but I will not let you go down that path because like me...you’re following orders and fighting to stay alive”  
“But you don’t trust me, so why should you care?”  
“If you weren’t there tonight I would have died...so yes...I trust you, it maybe small but it’s trust and if that is all it’s going to take to make sure you don’t go down that dark path, then hold onto it”

Pine nodded his head as Reese released his grip. He gazed at Reese for a moment before his eyes grew heavy and it wasn’t long before he eventually passed out. Reese sighed softly and carefully pulled the covers over Pine.

“Please don’t go down that road” He said softly before turning out the lights


	8. Sniper Bait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pine and Reese recieve a new lead on the case they are both working on, however it becomes clear that under handed tactics were used and it soon puts Reese and Pine on a dangerous path. This paves the way for Reese's plan to get Pine away from samaritan but a spanner is thrown in the works with life endangering consequences.

It was five in the morning by the time Pine’s stomach had stopped with the somersaults and allowed him to fall asleep. Reese had been up throughout the night with him, supplying him with plenty of water to keep him hydrated and escorting him back to his bed without Pine stumbling over. Once he knew the worst was over for him, Reese slipped under the covers and fell into a light sleep, keeping his ear out for Pine getting up to throw up again.

Three hours later and Reese’s phone started to vibrate under his pillow, Reese rummaged around under his pillow, he grabbed his phone, accepted the call and placed it to his ear.

“Detective Riley” He said sleepily  
“Have we overslept Detective?” Came the voice of the professor  
“Sorry...Pretty boy couldn’t handle his bourbon, so I had to play doctor throughout the night”  
“That was nice of you. I have some news Riley”  
“How bad is it?”  
“We need to fake Pine’s death today bad”  
Reese sat up quickly and looked over at Pine who was curled up in a ball, gripping the blankets and was fast asleep.

“And how do we do that?” Reese asked as he kept an eye on Pine.  
“I’ll send you a location tonight. I want you to meet me there with Pine”  
“Why tonight? Why not now?”  
“Because I need time.”  
“What have you found out Professor?”  
“Roper has been working alongside Decima for years...even when our boy was sent in to bring him down. Since he’s been imprisoned, he has been visited by a few Decima agents, including Grier and I have been informed, Roper made a deal with Grier”  
“Do you know what kind of deal?”  
“I’ll supply the weapons if you can kill Pine”  
“And Grier is killing two birds with one stone...get rid of us through Pine-”  
“And then when his job is done, they kill Pine. We need to kill him first detective”  
“And if we don’t?”  
“Then we have failed. Get to the location by ten tonight make sure your face is covered”

The professor hung up on him and within seconds sent a text of a location nearby, Portland point road at the Cargill salt mine, a fifteen minute trip in the car from where they were. Instruction on what to do were soon to follow but Reese had a feeling that the salt mine would offer enough sniper points for someone like Shaw to lay low in. A tranquiliser dart in the right place would be enough to make it look like a fatal shot, which would be enough to throw Decima off his trail and would buy Harold some time to setup a new identity for Pine and find a way to evade the prying eyes of the Samaritan system.

Reese rubbed his eyes and then got himself up out of bed, grabbing his things before entering the bathroom for a cold shower, hoping the cold water hitting his bare skin would wake him up a bit more, however the water just brought pain as the water seeped through the bandage and into the open wound, causing it to sting and become aggravated. Reese winced a little but continued with his morning shower routine, in and out quick like he was taught in the military, some habits didn't leave him and no doubt Pine found himself doing the same. 

After five minutes he stepped out the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist, drying himself down with the other before getting himself dressed for the day ahead, black jeans and a black shirt that he left unbuttoned in order to change the dressing of his wound. He stepped out of the bathroom and into the main bedroom, where he checked on Pine. He was fast asleep, gripping a blanket that barely covered him. Reese took the duvet off his bed and gently draped it over Pine, the man stirring a little before settling once more. It was safe to say he had a rough night, in normal circumstances Reese would have chucked a glass of cold water over him to wake him up but strangely, Reese held some sympathy for him. He left him to sleep while he changed his dressing by himself, wincing as the adhesive ripped out some of his chest hair. He then gently inspected the wound, despite being exposed to the shower, the wound was healing nicely and Reese gently applied a fresh new gauze and bandage before he carefully buttoned up his shirt. He then left Pine a note, explaining where he would be and to call him when he awoke. Reese grabbed his things and then proceeded to continue investigations around the campus.

As Pine started to come round from his slumber, the side effects of a heavy night started to make their presence known. His head started to thump, his vision was distorted momentarily and his mouth was drier than the Sahara. 

“Fuck” Pine groaned as he held his head in his hands

He carefully sat himself up off the bed and looked around the room, there was no sign of Reese and judging by the made bed, he had clearly left long ago, which made Pine quickly reach for his phone that he had tucked under his pillow. He pressed the power button and took note of the time. It was eleven thirty in the morning. He was three hours late for work. 

“Shit!” He exclaimed loudly as he swung his legs over the bed “Reese is going to kill me!”

He rushed to the bathroom and took a quick cold shower to help wake him up, he then stepped out the shower, got himself changed and then headed back into the bedroom to collect his phone and wallet. It was then he noticed the note left by Reese. He unfolded the paper and read the note. 

“Got you covered. Ring me when you wake up “

Pine breathed a sigh of relief and then noticed the packet of painkillers laid out on the side for him, along with a glass of water, presumably left by Reese who knew he would wake with a thumping headache. Pine popped two tablets out of the packaging, placed them in his mouth and knocked them back with a couple of gulps of water. He paused for a moment, allowing his brain to catch up with him and digest what was going on and then after five minutes, he pulled out his phone and rang Reese. 

“Good morning pretty boy, finally in the land of the living are we?”  
“Barely. Where are you?”  
“Main campus. Been speaking to a few tutors about what our victim was working on. None of them mentioned sleipnir.”  
“You think it was a private project?”  
“Possibly. We need to talk to a few of his friends and since you're young, you may stand more of a chance than me”  
“In other words I’ll blend in better”  
“You could say that...Meet me at the dairy bar, we’ll go over notes”  
“Okay….can you also get me something to cure a hangover?”  
“Of course” Reese replied with a twisted grin on his face as he thought up some foul concoction proven to cure a hangover “I know a remedy that’ll work”  
“.......Oh that can’t be good.” Pine groaned

It took Pine half an hour to get to Reese at the dairy bar, the man was sitting at a table set for two, reading a broadsheet and looking deep in thought. He didn’t really notice Pine, walking in dressed in a baggy black hoodie and jeans. He still had bed hair and it was clear he hadn’t shaved. Even though he couldn’t see Pine, he sensed his presence.

“Morning sleeping beauty” Reese said casually as he continued to read the paper. “Your hangover cure is in this paper mug”

He pointed to the plain white mug that was placed in front of him, Pine pulled a face and sat at the table.

“I’m not going to like this am I?” Pine asked  
“How will you know if you don’t try?”  
“Hangover cures are never nice. I don’t need to try, I just know”

Reese pushed the mug towards Pine.

“Think of it as Whiskey-”  
“Don’t”  
“Okay, tea then. Pretend it’s tea, drink it down and don’t stop. If you stop you’re gonna taste it and spit it back up”  
“I hate you blue eyes”  
“The Feeling is mutual Pretty boy”

Pine grimaced as he looked at the mug, he picked the mug up and lifted it to his lips, the smell made his stomach churn and out the corner of his eye he can see Reese watching him from behind the newspaper, perhaps hoping to see him spit it out or choke on it. Pine furrowed his brow and then placed the mug to his lips, drinking its contents and forcing himself to swallow it, Whatever the drink was, it tasted rancid and had a thick snotty like texture that made it harder to swallow. Regardless he managed to down it and slammed the mug down on the table and gasped for air.

“That was disgusting! The hell was in it?” Pine asked as he wiped his mouth  
“Kiwi, Kale, celery and a raw egg” Reese replied nonchalantly  
“A Raw egg?!”  
“That’s the base of any hangover cure. Don’t worry you downed it like a champ”  
“How did you even-”  
“You don’t want to know”  
“You’re probably right”  
“I know I’m right, so while that kicks in shall we get some more statements and do a little detective work?”  
“When you say detective work...do you mean by the book or your way?” Pine asked

Reese folded up the paper and placed it on the table before looking at Pine with a mischievous look, one that suggested he wasn’t going to abide by the rules and some of his actions may require the bending of many of them.

“Should have known…..”  
“Let’s go pretty boy”

The first half hour was tough, the thumping headache still lingered and his mind was a fog. He struggled to concentrate and most of the time Reese was the one firing the questions at some of the students that studied alongside Sean but once the painkillers and the Hangover cure kicked in, the day seemingly got easier. Pine managed to question a majority of the students who knew or worked with Sean and amazingly none of them seemed to know of the side project he was working on, except one. 

Pine managed to interview Sean’s neighbour and with some persuasion, he told Pine that he had trouble sleeping one night and decided to go for a walk, as he walked past Sean’s room he heard raised voices and things being smashed before three men were seen leaving his apartment. He never thought anything of it and thought it best to keep himself out of it, however the next day he noticed Sean’s face was bruised and that Sean seemed to be in a hurry to get back into his apartment and out of sight. The Neighbour waited a few days before he spoke to Sean, he was invited into his apartment which was littered with science equipment and formulas, he asked him what it was for and Sean revealed that he was working on a new treatment for equine asthma that could potentially be used on humans and that he had a pharmaceutical company interested in his research. This was vital information that Pine made sure to record down, it was possible that Sean could have been murdered by a rival company that also wanted his formula for their own use. He thanked the neighbour for his help and then rang Reese, who took longer than expected to answer.

“Hello Pretty Boy”  
“Blue eyes. I got some information that you may find interesting. Where are you?”  
“In places I shouldn’t be”  
“What?!” Pine asked with slight annoyance  
“You don’t want to know. Meet you at the hotel in twenty minutes”  
“Are you sleeping with someone to get intel?!”  
“I might not abide by the rules but even I wouldn’t stoop that low”  
“What can be worse than-actually don’t answer that, I’ll head to the hotel”

Pine hung up the phone and headed back to the hotel room, as he stepped into the room he noticed the beds had been freshly made, the room was tided and there was fresh towels in the bathroom, an obvious sign housekeeping had been and gone, which instigated Pine to do a quick sweep of the room, to make sure nothing had been taken, a stupid obsession he had developed while he was in the hoteliere profession. Five minutes later and Reese showed up, holding up what looked like a portable USB drive and a smirk on his lips.

“Ta-da”   
“What is that?” Pine asked with some alarm “More importantly how did you get it?”  
“This...is what our friends last night were looking for”  
“Sleipnir?”  
“You got it...Sean was smart”  
“No. Sean was threatened, his neighbour told me about an encounter at Sean’s”  
“Oh?”

Pine explained to Reese what Sean’s neighbour had told him, about the night he went to go for a walk and heard raised voices coming from Sean’s before three men emerged from his room. He then explained that Sean became shifty and that after a few days he was invited into Sean’s apartment where he saw all the equipment and formulas and that Sean admitted a pharmaceutical company had shown interest in his studies but when the neighbour asked about the men, sean went quiet and quickly changed subject. Pine concluded that it sounded like there may have been a rival company involved that would stoop low enough to have Sean bumped off so they could lay their hands on his formula.

“Sounds like Virtanen” Reese gruffed  
“Virtanen?” Pine asked  
“Big pharmaceutical company that will stoop low to get their hands on things first”  
“And if they find out you have that, we will be dead” Pine replied sarcastically  
“Don’t worry, I have arranged for someone to come and pick it up before Virtanen get wind.”  
“Do we have a location?”  
“Cayuga Salt mine in Lansing, twenty minute drive from here”

Pine looked at his watch, it had gone six and the light was starting to fade fast, now would be a good time to move.

“And a time?”  
“Seven”

Pine nodded, that gave him enough time to finish off writing up his notes and putting the paperwork together while Reese changed his clothes, changing into something more casual in order to blend in better. He swapped his black shirt for a grey long sleeved top and a black zip up hoodie, he also donned a black cap and swapped his footwear for trainers.

“Ready pretty boy?”

Pine turned his head to look at him and smiled when he saw his attire, he fully believed that he lived in a suit and so it was peculiar yet amusing to see him wearing something other than a suit.

“You trying to be a mature student blue eyes?” Pine quipped with a smirk  
“You’re not funny”  
“Didn’t say I was”  
“Shall we get going?”

They left the hotel and headed towards the salt mine to their rendezvous point. Both men were quiet as they drove from the campus, Reese was concentrating on his driving while Pine kept his eye out for any suspect activity or cars following them. Thankfully they were not followed but Pine felt unusually on edge, he could sense something was going to happen, something was going to disrupt their plan but what? As far as he knew the plan was straight forward, get out the car and hand the drive over to their contact but that was where the alarm bells rang, it seemed far too easy for them. Reese turned off and headed down the dusty trail towards the salt mine, once they reached their meeting point, they both sat in the car and waited. 

“You're quiet” Reese whispered huskily   
“I'm on edge, something doesn't feel right” Pine replied   
“it's straightforward Pine. Hand over the drive and we're done”  
“Exactly! It's far too easy! How do we know they are not sitting, waiting for us already?”  
“You're worse than Finch” Reese growled  
“Oh I don't wanna know about you and your boyfriends domestics”  
“What did you say?”

Pine shot him a look and then sat back in the seat, arms folded tightly across his chest, watching the area around them and getting antsy when there wasn’t much movement but then something in the distance caught his attention. A set of headlights coming down towards them at a rapid speed, quickly followed by another and then another.

“Did your contact bring an entourage?” Pine asked with concern in his voice.  
“That’s not him…”  
“Oh yey. We’re being ambushed, please tell me you have some firepower hidden in this truck somewhere.”  
“Only a couple of hand guns and some spare clips”  
“Well I have been in worse situations” Pine Replied Nonchalantly  
“Same here Pretty boy.”  
“Shall we exit the vehicle in a calm manner and seek cover?”  
“Lets”

They both stepped out of the car and went round the back where the handguns were stowed, both men quickly loaded them with a clip and shoved the spare clip in their pockets before they both darted into the shadows and hid behind mounds of dirt and rubble as two black pickups pulled up infront of the now deserted car. At least ten men stepped out of the trucks, armed, all wearing masks to cover their faces and hoodies.

“Where did they go?” One man snarled  
“Search the car!” Another man ordered

The other men strolled towards the car and started to systematically open doors and check all noticeable compartments before they started to then slash open the seat covers and rip the seats apart, thinking that the drive may have been hidden out of sight. Once they had practically stripped the car, one man went to one of the pickups and pulled out a jerry can, he then started to pour gasoline all over the car, inside and out. He then trailed some away from the car, pulled out a lighter and lit it, the flames quickly racing towards the car before engulfing it completely. The tires burst with the intense heat and the hood blew open under the sheer pressure. Pine peaked over the mound of rubble to see the car engulfed in flames and winced.

“I hope you didn’t pay alot for that car” Pine whispered  
“I didn’t. It was free” Reese replied as he calmly moved round, making sure to stay out of sight  
“You mean to say you stole it?!”  
“I was going to give it back”

Pine was about to speak again when he was stopped by the next order that was given out by one of the thugs lurking nearby.

“They couldn’t have got far, split up and find them!”

Pine looked across to Reese, who at this point, had made his way further along the dirt mound. He signalled to Pine to follow him and to stay in the shadows as best as he can. Pine nodded and then peered over the mound, noting five men were walking to his position. He quickly dashed towards Reese and then looked around for other areas to hide and both men located a small abandoned storage barn north east of their location, the only problem was their route left them somewhat exposed.

“We will need to duck and dive between those support struts of the salt chute over head. Time our runs and make as little noise as possible.” Reese whispered as he watched for the goons “Are you ready pretty boy?”  
“As best as I can be”  
“Good get to that support strut in front of us. Go!”

Pine sprinted towards the strut in front of him, he then watched for movement and then signalled for Reese to follow. Reese checked his surrounding area before he too sprinted towards Pine. They dashed between struts, looking over their shoulders to ensure they weren’t followed. They only had one straight left between them and the storage barn and this time, Reese made the run first but as he did, Pine noticed a red dot slowly trail up his spine.

“Shit!” He growled

Instinct kicked in, He ran out from behind the strut, aimed his gun towards where he thought the Sniper was and started to fire a few shots to draw the attention away from Reese.

“Pine what are you doing?!” Reese shouted  
“Saving your life! You can thank me later. Now go!”

Reese started to run towards the storage Barn while Pine kept up the distraction for as long as he was capable. Once Reese had reached the barn, he quickly tapped his earpiece.

“Professor where are you?!” He snarled  
“Coming up to the mine now. What’s going on Riley?”  
“We got ambushed….I need you to deploy Shaw with Live rounds fast. We’re north east of the meeting point, near the salt chute and the small storage barn”  
“We are on our way detective!”

Reese tapped his earpiece to end the call. He readied his gun and moved out of cover, firing shots in the same direction as Pine, the red dot quickly flicked up towards Reese and he quickly moved back to cover as a shot rang out, dirt near his foot flew up into the air as the bullet hit the floor. It managed to buy Pine a few seconds to sprint towards the barn but as Reese was about to lean out and provide more cover fire for him, a shot rang out and echoed around the mine. Reese felt his chest tighten and his stomach churn as the mine finally fell silent.

“Pretty boy you okay?!” He called out

There was no answer

“Buckthorn answer me!”

Still no answer.

“Come on, I didn’t make you run that far”

Silence. Reese slid along the wall towards the end. He took a deep breath and slowly peered round the corner and the sight before him made his blood turn cold. Yards in front of him lay Pine on his back, blood slowly seeping from his chest area and staining the ground beneath him. He could hear him gasping for breath as he fought to stay alive. He was now effectively sniper bait. Another shot rang out, narrowly missing Reese and causing him to quickly duck back for cover. He tapped his earpiece.

“He’s down….Buckthorn is down!”


	9. Phoenix Rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The world can become an alien place when your laying on the ground dying while others around you fight for your life, it brings you a whole new perspective on the world while you still have time to enjoy it but every now and again the grim reaper can throw you a second chance and possible redemption.

The world becomes a different place when your life is slowly ebbing away, it becomes cold as the colours of the world slowly seep away. Time slows down, sounds around you become distorted and incomprehensible and you become comfortably numb to the pain that your body is in. This wasn't the first time Pine had experienced dying, he had come close to it a few times before while he served for his country but this time he wasn't serving for Queen country, he was a renegade and the only support he had was pinned down. 

He had accepted that this would be his final moments, lying on a dirt road, bleeding out while he dies of self suffocation while bullets whizzed past and dirt flicked up in his face. A warrior's death or so he thought. In the haze of the battle between life and death, he noticed a small black metal cylindrical object bounce along the ground near him, the metal clinking along the stones before it finally rested a few feet from his face. There was a two second pause before the cylinder exploded, a flash of bright white light engulfed him and distorted his vision and hearing. Everything was muffled and foggy, nothing was distinguishable and he could no longer make out what was going on around him. He started to panic, his breathing became more rapid and laboured, each breathe hurt more than the last and he couldn't move or run and hide. 

He was losing. 

Then something or someone moved him, he could feel his body being lifted from the ground and moved away from danger. He couldn't make out who it was carrying him or where they were heading, everything was blurred. Was he being kidnapped? Was he a hostage now? He could feel his chest tightening the more he panicked and the more he panicked the more woozy and lightheaded he became before eventually the darkness began to creep in, he breathing started to become shallow and then he had blacked out. 

Reese was the one who acted once the flash bang grenade went off, it was a small window that he needed in order to get to Pine. He quickly scooped Pine up in his arms and ran as fast as he could, bullets narrowly missing them as they whizzed past and hit the dirt at their feet. By the time he managed to get to cover, he noticed Pine had blacked out and his breathing had started to become shallow. They didn’t have much time left. He tapped his earpiece.

“I need to get him out of here fast!” He shouted with panic in his voice  
“How bad is he?”  
“He’s been shot in the chest…he’s lost a lot of blood and his breathing has become shallow. We don’t have much time!”  
“I’m on my way, cover fire will be provided while I get to your co-ordinates. You need to hold on Detective!”

Time wasn’t on their side, every second mattered. Shaw was doing enough to keep the henchman at bay, toying with them enough to keep their heads down. Finch was at their location in a matter of minutes, Shaw provided the cover fire while Reese gathered Pine up in his arms and dashed for the car, he yanked the handle of the rear drivers door and flung the door open before quickly sliding Pine onto the back seats, he then whistled to Shaw and within a matter of seconds, she joined them and hopped into the back, holding Pines legs on her lap while Reese supported his head. They both slammed the doors shut as Finch slammed his foot down on the accelerator, causing the back wheels to spin madly before they eventually drove off as bullets bounced off the body work.

“We’re losing him” Reese said flatly  
“Not if I can help it...Harold do you have a biro pen?” Shaw asked  
”Now is not the time to be taking notes Mrs Shaw”  
“It’s not for note taking, it's for releasing the trapped air in his lung. Do you have a pen or not?”

Finch quickly checked his pockets, he found one in his top pocket and handed it to Reese, he then quickly dismantled the pen and passed the empty case to shaw, while she unzipped Pine’s hoodie, pushing it out of the way while she rolled up his t-shirt, giving her access to his chest. She then placed the empty pen case in her mouth and pulled out a small flick knife from her trouser pocket 

“Sorry pretty boy, but this is going to hurt”

She slowly ran her fingers over Pine’s ribs, searching for a suitable location to setup a temporary valve, she then flicked the blade out of the pocket flick knife and cut a small incision into Pine’s chest and then forced the empty Pen casing into the incision , pushing it in far enough till they could hear the air escape through the casing. Reese was expecting Pine to wake up hollering in pain but he was unresponsive, he hardly flinched and this worried him. Shaw capped off the valve once all the air escaped and then felt for a pulse, it was weak.

“Stay with me pretty boy, Harold put your foot down!” Reese barked  
“I’m going as fast as I can Mr Reese”  
“I don’t know if he can hold on much longer Reese” Shaw said  
“He’ll hold on….He’ll hold on to spite me”

Hours feel like seconds when you’re stuck in between life and death, darkness becomes your friend and you become comfortable with the silence, so much so that sound becomes almost alien to you despite it being a sign that you are coming back to life again, along with the light invading the darkness and introducing you back to the world you had left behind for what felt like a moment. The world is usually hazy for a brief moment before your eyes adjust once again but for Pine, it was more than Hazy, it was blurred and his focus refused to adjust. Everything around him was just coloured blobs that moved occasionally and this frightened him, his heart began to race which triggered the alarm on the machines that he was hooked up to. He could hear footsteps rush towards him, someone grasped his arm while another placed their hands on his chest.

“I can’t see” Pine said in a panic “I can’t see...I’m blind”  
“We need you to relax” Came a voice from his left  
“I can’t…...I’m blind!”  
“You need to relax or your lung will collapse again” Came a stoney female voice  
“I can’t see you!...Where are you? Where am I? I need get out of here!”

Pine started to thrash about in panic, he tried to fight off the people who were holding him down but the more he struggled the more pressure they applied.

“We’re gonna have to sedate him” Came the female voice  
“No! Don’t you dare sedate me!”  
“We’re trying to help” Came the male voice  
“You’re not! What did you do with him?”

Their grips lessened as a hush fell over the room, then he heard footsteps coming towards him, they sounded familiar, the person took long strides similar to himself and by the way their feet tapped on the ground, they were light footed. He then could make out a shape coming towards him, it was a person but he could not define them.

“Hey pretty boy!” Came the distinctive gravelly voice of Reese “Thought I lost you back there”  
“Blue eyes….what’s going on? Where am I?” He asked panicked  
“You're safe, not in a hospital or an abandoned warehouse or a hotel...you're in a safe place.”  
“Will they find us?”  
“Who?  
“...Decima”  
“No. Jonathan Pine, Ash Buckthorn, both are deceased according to the systems. You have Harold to thank for that.”  
“But...if I'm dead-”  
“It means Roper can no longer come after you” Harold interjected “But that doesn't mean we are entirely safe. Neither Decima or Roper was involved in your death. As far as both men are concerned all deals are off and they will work together to bring us down by any means possible.”  
“So you need to recover first and then we will give you a new identity”

Pine started chuckling to himself and then winced in discomfort as his lung reminded him of the injury he had sustained. Of course he would need to recover from the visible, physical injury but how can he compete in combat when he had virtually no vision.

“What’s funny pretty boy?”  
“What’s funny?...Oh...I don’t know, the fact I can’t fucking see?” Pine replied, chuckling “And it was because, I looked at a flash bang grenade as it exploded. So my lung is knackered and my eyes are fucked and to top it all off, your lives are in danger, I can’t protect you and I have no clue where I am right now….other than I am in a safe place? Could be a fucking bank for all I know, I can’t tell…..I’m Blind!”  
“Flash blindness” Shaw responded “It might take him a few weeks to recover…if he recovers, there is no telling, we will have monitor him”  
“Well it’s a good job he’s somewhere I can keep an eye on him” Reese replied  
“So long as he doesn’t wander into your gun closet Mr Reese”  
“Wait...I’m staying at Blue eye’s apartment?” Pine asked  
“You make it sound like a bad thing pretty boy, I have you know I am an exceptional host and a great bed nurse.”  
“....Fuck”

Those were the last words he spoke before he passed out again, exhaustion and medication playing a part in his sudden onset of fatigue but that wasn’t the worst thing to happen, not by a long shot. Whenever he got this tired or this fatigued, that’s when the nightmares started, the flashbacks to the battles he faced, to when he saw Sophie, laying dead on the floor of her apartment. Every awful image came back to haunt him, over and over again till he woke up in a blind panic, shouting out in the darkness. He panted heavily as he heard footsteps walking over to his left side, long strides, not so heavy feet. Reese.

“Is that you Blue eyes?” He asked with ragged breath  
“Yeah it’s me pretty boy….bad dream?”  
“Yeah…..Bad dream”

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly in order to calm himself. He could sense Reese was to the left of him, possibly standing over him and watching him. It never bothered him before, when he could see those steely cold eyes looking him over, when he could see his expression and feel an odd sort of comfort in being able to read him but now it unnerved him, he was a black undefined figure in his peripheral, he can’t see his expression or those eyes that could give away his emotions with a single glance and not being able to see or read the mood he was in unsettled him greatly.

“I need you to sit down Reese” He ordered  
“There is no where to sit other than on the bed”  
“Then sit on the bed then, I don’t care, at the moment you’re a tall black blob to the side of me and it’s not really helping me right now”  
“...Alright”

He noticed him move out of sight, disappearing into the darkness and merging with all the other dark shapes in the room. He made no sound or did anything to make his presence known, till he sat down at the foot of the bed, his weight caused the mattress to sink a little which made Pine jump and sit bolt upright .

“Did I startle you?” Reese asked with a little sarcasm lacing his tone.  
“Did anyone teach you NOT to startle blind people?”  
“In my defence we didn't come across many international threats who were blind...so no”  
“Well….Lesson one, don’t sneak up on blind people!” He replied slightly aggravated, wincing as he felt a sharp pain in his lung again “....It’s alright for you, your world hasn’t just become alien and frightening...your world still makes some sort of sense...mine doesn’t and yet you find it tasteful to make light of the fact that I can’t see you. I can assure you it’s not funny, it’s confusing and disorientating and this is the thanks I get for saving your life!”

He sighed heavily and hung his head. What use was he now that he couldn’t see? He could barely look after himself, how was he going to save Reese and his gang of misfits from being killed off by Decima. As far as he was concerned the mission was a failure and his heroics had put them at greater risk now that roper was involved.

“I let you down” Pine said quietly  
“You saved my life….that’s not letting me down pretty boy”  
“My Heroics have put you at a greater risk….and I can’t do anything to help while I am like this…”  
“It’s temporary and while you are like this, I’m in charge of your care and treatment”  
“What about work?” Pine asked  
“Bereavement. My partner died you know.”  
“Does your friend have a new identity for me yet?” Pine asked  
“He’s working on it….”

Pine nodded, at least he was now safely off Decima’s records but it didn’t ease that nagging thought in his mind that this just made things worse for them all. Reese could see the guilt, anxiety and fear, written on his face. He was blaming himself, over and over again for the situation they were in, he could see Pine thinking of ways to help them escape safely and the more he thought them through, the more obstacles he come across and this combined with his fears and the injuries he had sustained was starting to trigger a panic attack which didn’t bode well with a collapsed lung. His breathing became more rapid as he buried his fingers in his hair and gripped his blonde curls tightly, his body becoming tense and he himself was becoming unresponsive as his anxiety started to take control.

“Pine. Calm down”  
“I can’t.”  
“You can, you need to breath slowly”  
“I can’t”  
“Try”

Pine tried, he tried to breathe slowly like Reese said but he couldn’t seem to shut his mind off. It kept replaying scenarios in his head, over and over again, causing his breathing to become more rapid and aggravate his lung. Reese needed to intervene quickly or Pine was going to have another relapse and the only thing he could do, in order to help Pine relax, was grab his hands and place them on his face.

“I know you can’t see me but I am right here okay?”

Pine swallowed hard as his fingers started to gently explore his face, his fingers gently tracing over his features, picking up on noteable bumps and scars that Pine noticed when he could see him. It helped to take Pine’s mind away from the thoughts that were plaguing him, his breathing started to ease and Reese could see Pine start to relax.

“Yeah it’s me…”  
“...Noticed….You’ve been in many fights….had many split lips and cuts to the brow, got your hands dirty huh?” Pine responded  
“Didn’t have a choice pretty boy and I’m not proud of it either”  
“You had to do it, it was your job… and if you didn't do it-”  
“You were shot dead or worse. Survival of the fittest.”

Pine nodded his head as his fingers traced along his jaw, his fingers detecting the newly sprouted stubble that managed to pierce through the battle hardened skin, making it now rough like sandpaper. It was oddly a pleasant sensation beneath his fingertips and he found himself slowly dragging his fingers over his jaw again just so he could enjoy the sensation once more. It raised a smile on his lips again as his fingers reached his chin and began trace the little scars underneath his bottom lip, some scars were deep and some were disguised by the newly sprouted stubble but they were there. 

“A person’s face can tell a thousand stories” Pine said softly as his hands gently cupped Reeses  
“Oh really?”  
“Mmm yours tells me that you haven't had it easy, you've always had to fight through life. Taken a few hits but you're still standing and you're still fighting… you're not someone who gives up that easily, you're strong and you're fearless but sometimes you make a decision you regret and it's clear they can sometimes haunt you and when they do, you punish yourself for it, start a fight or drink yourself into stupor.”

Reese frowned at him and placed his hands over the top of Pines, ready to remove them from his face, he didn't want to be reminded of his past mistakes or how he dealt with them but it was clear Pine was making a point. 

“Don't” Pine said calmly “I know it hurts to hear this Reese but we are no different from each other, we both made mistakes in the line of duty, we both lost people we loved and we as a result became lost ourselves but we keep on fighting even when the odds are stacked up against us we keep fighting...and right now we need each other, I need you to be my eyes and to keep me safe...and you...in your own way need me, maybe to distract you or keep you safe….I don’t know….but I can sense it Reese, I can sense you need me.”

There was a momentary pause between them before Reese broke the silence with a chuckle.

“Okay my turn” He said casually  
“Reese-”  
“You said it yourself, a face can tell a thousand stories, so let's see what yours says pretty boy”

Reese reached up and placed his hands, carefully, on his face, his fingers starting to trace every minute scar and blemish on his face, he had very little, his skin was virtually unbroken, given a few scars on his lower lip and forehead, possible signs from a result of close quarters combat. Still learning the spy game, still making mistakes or not enough mistakes but yet Reese could tell there was a hunger, despite all Pine had gone through, there was an eagerness to learn more, a willingness to improve and a passion to keep going but like Reese the mistakes and the wrong decisions came back to haunt him once he had closed them piercing blue eyes.

“You’re haunted too” Reese said softly

Pine nodded in agreement

“I still see the ghosts of my mistakes Reese… every night they come back and they haunt me...but yet I have this desire to keep doing this, despite my mistakes. If I can bring justice -  
“The ghosts will leave you alone”

Pine nodded sadly and looked down at his lap as Reese continued to hold his face. 

“They never leave you so you have to face them and deal with them another way. That's the harsh truth pretty boy”  
“You don't think I know that?”  
“Didn't say you didn't but if you keep going the way you're going, you'll end up in the same hole I was in. You need a purpose and I'm going to give you one”  
“What purpose can you give someone in my condition?” Pine asked, fed up  
“Easy”

Pine raised his head as he felt Reese move closer towards him, so close that he could feel the warmth radiating from him, he then felt his callous fingers gently trace along his jaw as he sensed him leaning in close, his warm breath dragging over his lips as Pine fought back the urge to kiss him but it was hard, he could feel the tension, the electricity in the air as he felt his lips close to his own. Pine swallowed hard, he reached up and placed his hands over Reese’s, his long slender fingers wrapping loosely round his wrists before Reese leaned down and kissed him tenderly, throwing Pine for a loop momentarily before he returned the kiss with as much heat, their lips crushing against one another as they gave into their desires and wrestled their feelings but then Reese broke the kiss, pausing a moment to catch their breath as Reese gently pressed his forehead against Pine’s and gently caressed his cheek.

“....My purpose…..what is it?” Pine asked between breaths  
“Save my life Pine” Reese said softly


	10. Save my life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One night together, one moment shared, completely flips Pine's world on it's head. Not only was he facing a confusing and dangerous world without his sight but now emotions were starting to get in the way and confuse matters even more. Frustrated, Pine decides to tackle this new world on his own but is he ready?

It felt different to wake up in the arms of another, to feel their breath caress your skin, their warmth encasing you like a blanket and their scent welcoming you as you take a deep breath before snuggling yourself back down again. In that moment, nothing else matters, In that moment you are the most important thing in their world, tucked up safe and warm, but when you have not experienced this sensation for a while it can be confusing, especially if you both have not experienced the company of another for some time. 

Pine slowly started to wake from his slumber as the morning light filtered through the windows. His vision was still fairly blurred and hazy, the morning sun making it even harder for him to focus but he wasn’t worried, or freaking out, he had no reason to, he knew he was safe as he felt strong arms wrapped carefully around him, big hands pulling him into his warmth, encouraging Pine to push up against him while they laid tangled in the sheets, the aftermath of the performance from the night before. Pine took a deep breath and rolled onto his side, exhaling slowly as he lifted his hands up to feel his lovers face, his fingers gently tracing, every detail, every scar, everything that defined him and when he recognised the man next to him, a smile crept onto his face as he dragged his fingers over his jaw, causing the other man to purr content as he smiled in response.

“Good morning blue eyes” Pine said softly

Reese opened his eyes slowly, watching Pine closely as his fingers explored his face, caressing every scar as his thumbs grazed his lips. Although Pine was looking directly at him, Reese knew that Pine couldn’t see him and that the face feeling wasn’t only a way to see but a way to reassure himself too. Reese smiled and then carefully reached up to caress Pine’s face, to help assure him.

“Morning Pretty boy”

Pine beamed when he heard his affectionate nickname, spoken with that raspy voice that seemed to make parts of him twitch in response. He was half expecting to wake up alone after the night they shared, laying their feelings bare and indulging in their inner inhibitions. A searing kiss lead to a night of passion as they threw caution to the wind in order to satisfy their urges. There was no denying, that despite his build and heavy handedness, Reese was surprisingly a gentle lover who made sure not to aggravate Pines injuries. There was also the added bonus of Pines senses being heightened since he became blind, it made him more sensitive to touch and more responsive to what he was doing but despite the fun and enjoyment that was had, it was the afterglow he enjoyed the most, the moment to bask in his warmth, take in his scent and settle in his arms, yet the words he said to him moments before still went round his head.

 

“Save my life Pine”

 

There was no “Pretty boy”, there was no please or sense he was playing. Reese was serious, he was in trouble and Pine could sense that the strain of always being on the run, were starting to surface and despite only knowing Reese a week he could tell the man was striving for normality. 

“You okay?” Reese asked as he placed his fingers gently on his neck

Pine nodded in response “Yeah I’m fine. Why? ”

“Your fingers stopped feeling my face… As if you drifted off with your thoughts or something”

“Oh….I tend to do that”

“As well as hesitation?”

“Well yeah, seeing with your hands takes up alot of thought”

Reese just smirked and gently kissed both of Pines hands before removing them from his face.

  
“I'm gonna grab a shower”

Pine smiled and watched as the blob that he associated with being Reese, moved from his sight. Now he was alone and his thoughts started to run wild, trying to figure out the intentions of the man. This man wanted his blood when he found out who Pine was working under and now suddenly the man was seducing him into bed. Why? Was there an ulterior motive? It wasn’t adding up and the more Pine let himself go with the thoughts the more wound up he got. He gripped the bed sheets tightly and started to curl up into a ball, trying to silence the thoughts.

  
“Shut up” He muttered quietly

He threw a pillow over his head, making the world around him go dark, as well as calming himself down. He took deep breaths as he tried to focus himself, listening to the sounds around him as a way of grounding himself and after five minutes, he was finally calming himself down as he started to think more rationally. Last night was a bit of fun, something that they both needed to ease some tension they both felt that night. He took another deep breath and then he felt callous fingers starting to gently caress his side.

“I’m here” Reese said softly

Pine removed the pillow from his head and sat himself up, the sheets spooling at his waist, he reached his left arm out to the side to feel where Reese was, he placed his fingers on his abdomen and began to calm, knowing he was beside him. Reese gave him a moment before he sat down on the bed beside him, letting Pine lean against him for comfort. They said nothing but Pine knew Reese was sensing something was on his mind.

“What was last night?” Pine asked “Was it done out of sympathy or was it just a bit of fun”

“Am I not allowed to care?” Reese asked

“You went from hating my guts to bedding me. I think it’s perfectly reasonable for me to question your intentions Reese”

“Did you ask the same thing with Jed?”

“Are you jealous?”  
  
“Intrigued”  
  
“I didn’t…..but it was different with Jed, I wanted to save her, protect her-”  
  
“Love her”  
  
“Reese-”  
  
“I’m going to get breakfast. I’ll get your usual”

Pine went to grab him but Reese had already got up off the bed, heading back to the bathroom to change into a pair of black jeans and a black shirt before heading out again, slipping on a pair of boots and his coat before leaving the apartment, heading out into the busy streets of manhattan. It gave him chance to clear his head, dispose of the nagging thoughts in his mind and concentrate on the task at hand, keeping Pine safe while he was recovering and Finch was working on a new Identity. He tried to detach himself emotionally from Pine, Hate him, teach him a lesson but there was something that kept pulling him back, a desire to protect him, take him under his wing and perhaps love him. Feelings he had long buried after losing Jessica, feelings he hoped would never waken again but somehow Pine was stirring them up again and it made Reese uncomfortable. He walked into a cafe and ordered two coffees and two breakfast muffins to take away, while he kept his eyes open for any Samaritan agents, sent out to find him and Pine, he waited ten minutes before he was finally on his way back to the apartment. As he walked back into the apartment, he noticed Pine was now out of bed but there was no sight of him, Reese made his way to the kitchen and placed the coffee and food, down on the side.

“Pine...Are you around?” Reese called out

“....Yeah” Came Pine’s voice, slightly muffled

“Where are you?”  
  
“.....I don’t know”

Reese furrowed his brow and looked around the apartment, trying to locate where his voice was coming from, it had to be somewhere he couldn’t get out very easy. So far he noticed the bathroom door was still open, which meant there was only one other place he could be. He walked to the closet near to the entrance of his apartment and opened one of the slatted doors and sure enough Pine was in there, staring back at him with squinted eyes, struggling to focus on him.

“This is not the bathroom” Pine said

“You didn’t-”  
  
“No! No I didn’t….but I do have to ask, is this your gun closet?”

“Is it a problem?”

“...Why do you need so many guns?”

“Can never be too sure”

“You have a rocket launcher!”

“And?”  
  
“Why do you need a rocket launcher?!”

“Because like I said...you can never be too sure, now are you coming out of there or staying in?”

Pine frowned and reluctantly held out his hand as Reese guided him out of the closet and to the bathroom. He instructed Pine to shout him if he needed anything, before he closed the door and made his way to the couch where he sat quietly, wrestling with his thoughts and emotions. When people got close to Reese, they would get hurt...or worse. Pine was already hurt and had lost his sight for the moment, he was vulnerable and defenceless, by now Reese would push away those he got close, hoping it would save them but he couldn’t do that with Pine, Samaritan agents would find him and eliminate him, Reese would fail and they would be one step closer to eliminating the others. Pine needs his protection, his guidance and his trust, he couldn’t just push him away now. He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard Pine fumbling to open the bathroom door, walking out the bathroom with one arm outstretched to help him feel his way along.

“Need Help?” Reese asked

“I’ll be fine” Pine replied

But Reese wasn’t taking No for an answer, he could tell by Pine’s tone that he was being deliberately stubborn and awkward to spite him, trying to find his way about on his own, as well as refusing to ask for help but it only made Reese more determined  to help him and make him see sense. He was about to get up and assist him, despite the protests but his phone went off, a possible phone call from Finch to check on things. He tapped his ear piece.

“Good morning Detective” Came the familiar voice of Finch

“Professor”

“How is he?”  
  
“Blind, sore and stubborn. Do we have another number?” Reese asked as he watched Pine slowly feel his way back to bed.

“We do but I have assigned Miss Shaw to do the job while you look after Pine”

“So why are you calling me?”  
  
“Because I managed to track down who it was who attacked you, A small group of mercenaries called Haven, were hired by Virtanen, to retrieve and deliver the Sleipnir files to them”  
  
“And let me guess they’re still hunting it down”  
  
“You’d be correct detective. Since I can’t afford both of you being seen, I will be sending someone to pick up the USB drive but for now I need you to keep Pine out of trouble”  
  
“Easier said than done when he is on a mission to test me”

“Sounds Familiar”

“Careful professor”

“Just keep him safe Detective, I’ll contact you when I have things organised on this end”

Reese tapped his ear piece to end the call, he looked up to find Pine was now sitting on the bed, facing the window, his body hunched while his arms hung over his knees. He was having to rely  heavily on his other senses in order to move about. It was tiring, as well as frustrating and he couldn’t help but feel helpless and utterly useless. His head dropped as he started to blame himself for the mess they were in, if he had waited for cover fire they would have made it out unscathed but he wanted to play hero and now he was paying the price for his heroics. It may have bought him a tender moment with Reese but judging by the behaviour of his fellow man, it was just simply that, a moment and that made Pine feel cheap. He could hear Reese approach him and almost immediately a scowl appeared on his lips.

“I said I don't need your help!” He growled

“Wasn't going to ask, was only bringing you breakfast” Reese replied as he placed Pines muffin on the bed next to him “My friend managed to find out who it was that hunted us down”

“You mean Finch, your closet boyfriend” Pine replied bitterly as Reese glanced at him with raised eyebrows. 

“Pine-”

“Don't Pine me!” He snapped as he angrily got to his feet “I heard you, I'm testing you apparently! I'm just an inconvenience, getting in the way of you pulling on the superman cape and playing hero. You're only here because your boyfriend told you to stay put. You're not here because you care, you're here because it's a job. Last night was just a bonus to you and I stupidly thought you cared!”

Reese swallowed hard as his words started to sting but that was the problem with the truth, it did hurt and there was some truth in the angry tirade that Pine spat. Pine was a number that Harold needed saving, he did tell him to stay put to protect him and he was getting agitated from having to stay cooped up in the apartment but Harold wasn't his boyfriend, he was his boss and yes, he cares for Pine, he just had a funny way of showing it. He watched as Pine ran his hand through his hair and choked back tears, not wanting Reese to see his sadness. He took a deep breath in and reached down to feel for the bed but he felt a large hand gently take his wrist and guide him back down to the bed mattress. Pine eased himself back down onto the bed and tried to retract his wrist from his hand.

“Let go” Pine said firmly

“I was helping you” Reese replied softly

“Well good for you but I don’t need your help anymore, bugger off, go do what the man in the suit does when he has nothing better to do”

Reese frowned and then got off the bed, he made his way to the door and grabbed his coat off the hook, flinging it over his shoulder and pulling the door open before slamming it shut behind him. Soon as he heard the door slam shut, Pine immediately got off the bed and started to slowly make his way around the apartment, searching for his clothes, which in itself was difficult when most things are undefinable blobs of colour. He would pick up objects from the floor and feel them, identifying them through shape and texture. So far he had managed to find his jeans and a hoodie and putting them on by himself was a struggle but he managed it.He then slowly felt his way to the front door, got on his hands and knees and started to feel his way along the floor, his fingers gently caressing the wooden flooring before coming across something familiar, it felt like a pair of trainers, similar to what he wore the night he was shot. He sat down on the floor and pulled the trainers on, his fingers fumbling around to tie up the laces. Once done, he pushed himself off the floor, walked slowly towards the door and felt along it for the handle, his fingers gently caressing the wood before coming across the cold metal of the handle. He then slowly opened the door, stepped out into the corridor and closed the door behind.

It was a slow and steady climb down to street level but Pine made it, he flicked up the hood of his jacket and started to walk down the street but he was finding that his normal pace was disorientating, he was  struggling to make out objects coming towards him and the pace caused him to feel nauseous and unsteady. He stumbled over his own feet and fell to the floor, the hard concrete beneath him scuffed up his knees and the palms of his hands. He took a few deep breaths and then got himself back to his feet again, this time he slowed himself down to a more manageable pace. He could sense people walking past him or round him, he could hear traffic up ahead and he could smell food being cooked by the street vendors camped out along the street but without sight, walking along the street was a terrifying and challenging experience, the noises and vibrations threw him for a loop as they bounced from wall to wall, disorientating him more and the constant stream of people walking past him panicked him further to him they were coloured objects coming at him with pace. He could feel his chest starting to tighten, his heart rate increase and a ringing in his ears as he struggled to focus himself. He had no idea where he was going and in the few feet he had travelled he suddenly started to feel lost and overwhelmed.

He paused for a moment and took a few deep breaths to try and calm himself down, giving him time to adjust and familiarise himself with his surroundings. He took a moment and then continued on his walk, battling himself, battling his demons and anxieties just to prove a point but his stubbornness was soon going to become his undoing.

As he continued to walk, he failed to register the steep curb and ended up falling into the road, it took him a moment to register what happened but he soon picked himself up off the road and dusted himself down, oblivious to the danger that was thundering towards him. He took a few more steps and then was suddenly yanked back and pulled into a tight hold. Instinctively Pine started to struggle, trying to fight his way out of the hold, fearing that Decima had found him.

“Get off me!” Pine screamed  
“You were nearly hit by a truck!!” Came the distinct raspy voice of Reese “I just saved your life”

Reese released his hold, watching as Pine angrily turned to face him. He wanted to rip into Reese, shout at him for being around him but deep down he was relieved, relieved he saved his life, relieved he was nearby and dragged him from the nightmare he had created for himself. He wanted to hit him over and over again but instead he found himself collapsing into his arms, his legs buckling from the stress and anxiety he had caused himself, tears rolling down his cheeks as he gripped his jacket tightly, thankful for the man’s sudden appearance in this overwhelming and confusing world he was currently living in. Reese could have berated him, lectured him for walking out into the open without aid or for endangering them by making himself an easy target to any potential Samaritan agents but he didn’t. Instead Pine felt those strong arms wrap round him, holding him tenderly as he brought him into his chest, calming him, helping his mind to think rationally.

“...I’m sorry” Pine said softly, not lifting his head to look at him

“I know” Reese responded “Let’s get you back home”


	11. Morsadder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pine realises that Independence is something that he took for granted and with it now gone, he is learning to put his trust into others to help him. It's a learning curve but he slowly gets the hang of it but while he is on the path to recovery, there are dark forces working underfoot to bring his world crashing down

Independence is something that is taken for granted by a lot of people. It's something, that isn't noticed, that is taken for granted while it is still there but once it has been taken it becomes a void, something that once was and now missed. Once it is gone a person becomes dependent on the people around them to help and that dependency can range from getting them to work to helping them dress in the morning. Once Independency has been taken, life becomes less fun and more of a struggle. 

Pine wasn't enjoying the fact he was having to learn to trust others. He missed what he had, the simple things like making his own cup of tea or getting himself dressed In the morning, he missed seeing the city and its people and he missed books, missed being able to read the words on the crisp pages and the feeling of satisfaction when a page was turned. He knew he needed to adapt while his eyes recovered and that meant putting trust into Reese, which wasn't easy. 

Pine was easily frustrated to begin with, Reese didn't make tea how he liked it, dressed him too roughly, didn't cook the eggs the way he liked or steak for that matter. He wouldn't allow him to help in the kitchen and when Pine wanted to indulge in a book, Reese would find him an Audio version to listen to, which Pine dested because “It wasn't the same”. There was many arguments, many tears and twice as many cuddles of reassurance but eventually they got there but there was still one issue that had still not been addressed. 

“I want to go back to work” Pine mentioned while he sat on the couch listening to the television “My eyesight is slowly getting better, things are a little clearer and my other senses are helping”

Reese shook his head as he cleaned up their plates from dinner and made his way to the sink. 

“No can do pretty boy. If Harold doesn't think you're ready, then you're not ready. He won't risk you, you know this”  
“And keeping me cooped up is a better alternative is it?”  
“No offence, but what can you do to help while you're the way you are?” Reese asked  
“I don't know but if your boss is a genius like you say he is, then surely he can come up with something, anything. I don't care what exactly I just want to get out of this god forsaken apartment and help!” Pine replied In frustration. 

He rubbed his temples, trying to calm himself down so that his stress didn't trigger the tinnitus that he had now sustained from the grenade explosion. It had only been a week but it was evident that he wasn’t coping very well and he just wanted some normalcy in his life. Reese looked over and saw the sight of Pine sat forward and rubbing his temples, calming himself down it had become a regular sight as the man strived to continue living as he had but it was a fight, there was no denying it, nothing was working. Reese wiped his hands on the towel and walked over to Pine, carefully placing his big hands on the other man's shoulders , helping him to relax as he rubbed his thumbs over his skin in a circular motion to help ease the tension.

“Alright...I’ll talk to the boss to see what he can do to help”  
“I’m going mad…” Pine replied  
“Cabin fever, happens to the best of us” Reese replied flatly

Pine huffed and hung his head, his body slouching forward some more, he hated being incapacitated and useless. He hated knowing he could help but not having the ability to and he hated being trapped indoors when he could be outside taking in the life and soul of the city. There had to be a way where he could be of some use to the team and there certainly had to be a way for him to get outside without Reese fearing for his life. He eased himself back up and relaxed into Reese’s touch, allowing the mans callous fingers to smooth out the knots in his shoulders and ease away the tension. He reached his hand up and gently stroked Reese’s forearm with his fingers for comfort.

“Plus you’re probably fed up of me and my particular ways, always moaning at you cause the tea is not right or you don’t do breakfast how I do or you dress me too roughly or stupid petty things that must drive you up the wall...I’m surprised you haven’t smothered me in my sleep to put me out of my misery”  
“I’m surprised too” Reese replied nonchalantly  
“Hey-”  
“You’re quite a fussy person Pretty boy. Good job I was taught to have the patience of a saint”

Pine huffed loudly, although there was no denying that Reese did have a point, he was quite particular and probably did seem quite ungrateful for all he did.

“I should be more grateful” He groaned

Reese just gently patted his shoulder and allowed the man to relax while he tapped his ear piece to contact Finch

“How can I help you detective?”  
“Our Blind perp is eager to leave the apartment and help”  
“But he’s blind”  
“I know that, he knows that but he’s sure you can help him in someway”

 

There was a pause as Finch mulled over some possible solutions, each one reverting back to programming the machine to be Pine’s eyes for the time being, although he was concerned that he might be diverting some of the programming away from its initial job.

“There might be a way, I’ll work on it, leave it with me” Harold replied  
“You might have to work hard Harold….someone is getting itchy feet”  
“I am fully aware Detective” Finch replied before he hung up on him.

Reese sucked his teeth in slight annoyance, he had no time frame on how long it will take for Finch to fix something for Pine and Pine had no patience to wait any longer for a solution. He looked down at Pine, noticing the man was now staring off into nothingness, perhaps thinking of a way to escape again and try and tackle this world in the state he was in.

“If I promise to take you out tomorrow, will you promise to be more grateful?” Reese asked  
“Don’t have much choice” Pine responded   
“Be a good exercise in trust”

Pine just nodded his head, by now he was willing to try anything in order to get outside and taste what freedom he was allowed. He grew more and more despondent as more limitations entered into his life, he'd forget himself and try to do things he used to do, like pick up a book to read or prepare food and when he realised he was unable to do such tasks, frustration took over and often Reese would find him sitting on the floor with his head in his hands breathing deeply. 

“What do you miss the most?” Reese asked as he sat down next to Pine, trying to find a way to lift his spirits “Other than my face”

A faint smile spread on Pines lips for a brief moment before it disappeared again. 

“Reading a book, feeling the paper beneath my fingers and the satisfaction of page turning once a page has been read… Audio books can't do that” Pine replied sadly.   
“I could read to you” Reese replied

Pine blinked and turned his head to Reese's voice

“You'd do that for me?”  
“Just tell me a book you want to read and I'll borrow it from Harold's collection”  
“You mean steal”  
“Borrow, steal, same thing”  
“Not really, If your boss finds out you have been stealing his books he will either be very angry or have a heart attack because your educating yourself.”  
“Then we better hope he don't find out”  
“You're devious.”  
“I prefer sneaky”

Pine smiled, he reached out to find Reese's shoulder and then gently rested his head on it, inhaling deeply as he took in his scent. 

“How about one flew over the cuckoo's nest?”Pine asked   
“I'll see if he has it”  
“Good”

He smiled as he felt Reese wrap an arm around his shoulders, it was the one good thing to come out of such a bad situation, the fact he had Reese all to himself while he slowly recovered. Pine was wrong about him, he wasn’t the hard ass, cold hearted former special agents man that he thought he was, underneath that exterior there was a man that still had a beating heart and a gentle nature that he often tried to hide and despite the hell Pine made him go through every day, he would still help Pine to bed, tuck him in and watch over him during the night, so it was little wonder if at some point during the day, he would fall asleep on the couch while Pine listened to the news or listened to an audio book that he had given him but most importantly, Reese made him feel safe.

He slept through the night comfortably, Reese as usual stayed up a good portion of the night before he slipped into bed in the early hours of the morning. He wrapped his arms carefully around Pine, the man snuggling into his warmth before he drifted off to sleep once more and when he did wake again he was greeted with the welcoming smells of fried bacon and egg, a treat in some ways that served a purpose.

“You’re spoiling me” Pine said groggily as he sat himself up.

He was able to distinguish that it was Reese standing in the kitchen cooking, his vision better than it was before.

“Breakfast of kings you said” Reese replied as he walked over with a plateful “Eat up, you’re going to need your strength today”  
“Are we going for a walk?” Pine asked hopeful  
“After you have eaten and taken a shower” 

Pine grinned and tucked into his breakfast, it was cooked perfectly, the bacon was crispy but not overly crispy that it was brittle, the egg was soft enough for dunking toast and the tomatoes and hash browns were fried to perfection, Reese even managed to season the beans the way he liked it. It seemed he did listen to Pines complaining after all. He ate everything on the plate by the time Reese had returned to clear up his things and help him into the shower. 

“Guess I got it right today?” Reese asked   
“Perfection. But it was missing something”  
“... Can't be perfection If it was missing something. What was it? “  
“Traditional sausage, not the patties, the ones that look like hot dogs but much thicker”  
“Why would you have a hot dog for breakfast?”  
“Cause we're English and we are weird”

Reese shook his head and helped Pine up, guiding him to the shower before grabbing some of his things, a pair of faded black jeans, a black tee and a grey hoodie. Once Pine was done in the shower Reese helped him dress being gentle when pulling on his clothes and getting him ready to venture outside the apartment, making sure his face was covered with the hood as not to raise suspicions. He then guided Pine down the flight of stairs towards street level and before they ventured outside, Reese pulled out Pines sunglasses from his coat pocket and placed them carefully on his face. 

“Why did you put these on?”Pine asked   
“I thought you was the bright one?”Reese replied as he reached for the door “Your eyes are going to be very light sensitive for a while, so those are shielding them for the time being. You ready”

Pine took a deep breath in. 

“Ready”

Reese linked their arms. He opened the door and carefully stepped out into the street, Pine close to his side. They both paused a moment as the sounds and smells engulfed Pines senses, he needed a moment to adjust so it wouldn't overwhelm him. He studied Pine’s face, making sure he wasn’t having a panic attack or breaking down in some way. When he was ready he gently patted Reese’s arm and together they walked, slowly along the busy streets of New york and just as Reese said, it was an exercise in trust. He had to trust Reese to guide him, protect him and keep them both safe. He had to be the eyes and ears for both of them and Pine was left with no other choice but to trust him.

On their walk, Pine requested a visit to Central Park, just so he could have a moment of peace and tranquility. He tapped Reese’s arm when he wanted to sit down, Reese found a bench along the Mall and eased Pine down onto the bench.

“You want a drink? There’s a Vender a few yards from us” Reese asked   
“Water will be fine” Pine replied  
“Alright….anyone else but me touches you-”  
“Scream?”  
“Yes”

Pine chuckled as Reese walked off to get some water, he knew Reese was keeping an eye on him while he walked towards the vendor, keeping check on their surroundings, making sure there was nothing out of the ordinary or a threat lurking nearby. He knew Reese couldn’t relax or switch off for the moment , not while they were in the public eye and at the mercy of Samaritan, yet despite impending doom lurking round every corner, Pine for the moment felt relaxed, he could hear the birds in the surrounding area call to each other, dogs barking happily and street performers beginning their routine to please the crowds that were curious of what they were doing. Despite his vision lacking, he felt, for the most part normal and it caused a smile to grow on his lips which was noticed by the approaching Reese, who gently patted Pine’s arm to let him know it was him.

“Hey pretty boy, got you some water”

Pine turned his head to his voice as Reese gently guided his hand to the cool bottle, letting him take it before he sat down next to him. Pine unscrewed the cap and took a swig of water.

“Thanks for this” Pine said softly  
“It was only a couple of dollars”  
“Didn’t mean the drink Reese”

Reese smiled, knowing what Pine really meant

“I know, was just testing you”  
“You have been testing me these last few weeks...I’m used to it by now.”  
“You haven’t made it easy yourself, has anyone told you that you can be quite the Diva”  
“Plenty...I’m sorry for not making it easy”  
“Apology accepted….but even though you’re a dead man walking and potentially off Samaritan’s radar for the time being, you’re by no means safe”  
“I am aware...they’re still out there trying to hunt you down...I want to help you and your team, in whatever way I can. You think Harold will take me on?”  
“You’ll have to gain his trust on that one...but he did send over your new ID to me. You’re now known as Jack Morsadder”  
“Morsadder...What kind of a name is that?”  
“A strong one. It means Death Adder in Latin and there maybe a reason Finch gave it to you”  
“Oh?”  
“Death Adders are masters of disguise, quick and very deceptive. Think about it, your dead, what better chance than now, to slip under their radar and strike back.”

Pine took another gulp of his water and took a moment to process this new information. Harold had given him a new alias, one that had meaning in the detail, that was deceptive and cunning. His death would have undoubtedly been picked up by samaritan in some shape or form, they would have wiped him from their records, wiped the slate clean and potentially moved on but this was his chance to haunt them with his ghost, to turn the tide a day give Harold and his team the upper hand. He didn't need the man's trust to be a part of his team, he already knew what he was capable of and now he was going to play the joker in the pack. 

Pine. 

He put the cap back on the bottle and watched the world around him in a blurry haze, he now had a chance to put an end to what Roper and Greer started way back in the early nineties no doubt, when roper first started trading illegal arms to the black market. Now was his chance to condemn him and close his illegal operations for good. 

“When do we start?” He asked calmly

____  
Greer stood in front of the big screen, watching as Samaritan did its work, pulling out numbers that were potential threats to be assigned to its agents. It was efficient in the way it worked, filtering through millions of electronic data in mere seconds before determining the fate of one single person. Magic in a sense but also hard work. 

Greer smiled, his machine was reducing the threat of terror within New york quickly and efficiently and it would only be a matter of time before it would find the members of the opposing machine, especially now they had Pine on board to help with their operations. Greer’s moment of self reflection was interrupted by an agent walking into the room and standing next to him. Greet didn't even have to look, he knew the man standing next to him was none other than Jeremy Lambert, asset 407 as he was known to Samaritan. 

“Its beautiful isn't it?” he asked  
“It is sir, almost like magic”  
“Indeed. What news do you bring for me?” He asked, knowing there was a purpose for his visit “Has our boy found the hornets nest?”  
“No sir…” Lambert replies, his voice solemn

Greer slowly turns to look at him, noting the way Jeremy was looking down at his feet, trying to figure out how best to break the news to his boss. Pine was dead, his death recorded on CCTV and stored by Samaritan, enabling it to decipher who was responsible for his death and its results stunned Jeremy. It wasn’t the opposing force who murdered him but more an Ally to them.

“I think you need to see this footage sir”  
“What footage?” Greer asks

Jeremy requested Samaritan to pull up the footage from that night, it shows the moment Pine runs for safety from the shootout and then gets shot in the back, his body collapses to the floor before the camera signal cuts out.

“Pine is dead” Jeremy said flatly  
“Do we know who killed him?”  
“We do Samaritan was able to figure out who the shooters were….they were a mercenary group called Haven Mercenaries, whom were hired by Virtanen and were recommended by Roper, who uses this particular group frequently. Essentially Roper has killed Pine and has broke the deal we had with him.”  
“Are we certain he’s dead?”  
“The hospital nearby confirmed his death and autopsy results should be with the hospital within a week”  
“Then I guess we need to pay our friend a visit. I will need you to accompany me Jeremy, we can’t be too sure.”  
“Where are we going?”  
“London”


	12. The Devil's Rope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Greer pays a very special inmate a visit, with an offer that he can't afford to turn down, meanwhile Pine tests out a new programme that Harold has designed to help him see but the machine picks up something that turns Harold's blood cold

London, it wasn't exactly welcoming at the best of times, commuters rushing around as they head to work, bashing into everyone and hardly apologising while tourists stop to admire the sites, clogging up the paths and getting in the way of those trying to get on with their daily lives. Roads were busy with traffic, as we're the flight paths overhead going into Heathrow and London City Airport, yet despite the bad, it had its charm and to some this was home. 

The moment Greer stepped off the plane and into the streets, was the moment all his memories of the time spent there, came flooding back, the sounds, the smells, the way people moved and spoke, were all triggers to memories of days gone by but this wasn’t about nostalgia and remembering the good old days, this visit had an importance, to find out why an Ally would double cross him and Samaritan, why would they swindle on their deal and hamper their chances of eliminating the opposing team, hell bent on ripping Samaritan down. To get those answers, he would need to visit Belmarsh prison, a category A prison, responsible for holding the likes of Ronnie Biggs, Charles Bronson, Abu Hamza and Ian Brady, it also held his ally, Richard roper, a former gun runner of the weapons black market, illegally supplying weapons and ammo for the highest bidder.

A chauffeur picked Greer and Lambert up from the airport and took them to their designated hotel, an exclusive five star hotel called claridges, however the matter of business couldn't wait for body clocks to adjust, as soon as they put their bags in the room, they were back in the car and heading to Belmarsh prison. The Normal protocol would require an inmate to request a visit but Greer pulled a few strings internally to bypass that but they still had to go through a few security checks, the first one coming into the prison car park, they then proceeded to go through reception, where they were scanned with metal detectors, asked to hand over mobiles, keys and anything that could be classed as a weapon, patted down and then searched by police and drug sniffer dogs. They are then escorted to the Visitors room, where they await for the inmates to be brought out to them. Greer looked around at the other visitors within the room, noting how sparse the numbers were and then back at Lambert.

“Seems we came at a good time, quiet and intimate. Will give us chance to put him under the cosh a little”

“Do you think he will fold?” Lambert asked

“If he has any sense, he will know he will have no choice.The chance of freedom will be dangled on a stick, the cost will be what I require him to do for it.”

“You’re going to make him jump through hoops”

“Precisely”

The buzzer sounded and a few inmates trickled into the room, including one particular inmate that caught Greer’s attention. He was tall, slim and looked to be in his late fifties. He wore a thick greying beard, his hair was sheared to a number three cut all round and he wore a smile on his lips as he approached Greer and lambert. He pulled the chair back and sat down elegantly, folding his arms across his chest as he tilted his head at Greer.

“I wasn’t expecting visitors” He said cheerily

“I know but I pulled a few strings for this visit” Greer responded calmly

“Any reason why?”

“Yes. Pine is dead”

“Oh well that’s a shame, guess our little agreement is off then?”

“Not quite Mr Roper” Greer said, authority now entering his tone of voice “We tracked down who it was that took him down and we found it to be a mercenary group called The Haven, one used regularly by yourself and one that you highly recommended to Virtanen. How much did they pay you?”

“A good lawyer and a fair trial.” Roper replied arrogantly

“Did they tell you their target?”

“Do you think I would have accepted the deal if I knew who they were targeting?”

“Hard to say Mr Roper. You do have a history of stabbing people in the back.”

“I also have a history of not welching on deals. Mr Greer.” Roper replied

He leaned back against his chair, Jaw clenched tightly, annoyed that Greer would accuse him of backing out of their deal, he still had a reputation to keep even when he was locked up, he still had contacts that kept his business running, any mark on his image would scupper any current business deals he has in the pipeline.

“I’m still a businessman you know? Tell me Greer are you deliberately trying to tarnish my name?

“Not really Mr Roper, I just want to get to the bottom of this problem we both have. You said Pine would find and eliminate Samaritans little problem, in exchange you would supply us with high end arms and allow us to deal with your little problem but it transpires that, essentially you killed Pine by allowing Virtanen to use your Mercenaries to swat some bothersome flies. Which means you broke the deal and that usually comes with consequences.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“No...We’d like to offer you a new deal. We can get you released from here but in exchange you will need to do Pine’s job”

“And if I refuse?”

“Oh we have an insurance policy for that” Greer replied as he opened up his jacket and produced a polaroid picture of Roper’s son, sitting at a restaurant eating ice cream, Ropers eyes widened in shock as he looked at Greer with fear in his eyes “We won’t hurt the boy but if you say no….then we will have no choice.”

“You Bastard….” Roper growled through gritted teeth

“Do we have a deal Mr Roper?”

____

The haze was still present, everything still looked like someone had smeared vaseline over a camera lense but it was steadily improving. When he woke there was the familiar warmth of a body laying beside him, the comforting weight of an arm draped over his waist and the feel of hot breath dragging down his neck. A smile appeared on Pines lips as he snuggled into the warm embrace, feeling lips press softly on his neck and strong arms carefully pulling him into his chest. 

No words were exchanged, just tender kisses and cuddles moments before a phone call that disrupted the peaceful morning. Reese groaned as he stretched his arm out to his night stand, grabbed the phone and placed it to his ear.

“Hello” He said gruffly with one arm still holding Pine

“Good morning Detective” Came the familiar voice of Harold “Did you manage a good night's sleep?”

“You know me… I slept as well as can be expected, given the circumstances”

 

“About that. I have something that might work for Pine but I will need to do a few runs with him”

“And let me guess you want us there asap”

“That would be preferable. I might have a breakthrough on how best to help our guest”

“Alright… I'll make sure our guest is up, dressed and ready to roll”

“I’ll be sure to send Shaw round to collect you both, along with some breakfast, make sure you’re ready in twenty minutes” Harold Ordered before he hung up on Reese

Reese groaned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as Pine rested his head on Reese’s chest and traced shapes on his skin with his long elegant fingers, causing Reese’s skin to erupt into goosebumps which in turn caused Reese to shudder.

“I heard” Pine said softly as his fingers walked up his chest and caressed his neck “Would you mind helping me dress?”

“I don’t mind...we’ll grab breakfast and coffee on the way okay?”

Pine nodded and carefully pushed himself up onto his elbows, taking a moment to gather himself and his thoughts before he carefully moved himself to the edge of the bed and slowly swung his legs around, his feet touching the cold hard floor beneath him. He felt Reese move off the bed as the weight shifted and the mattress raised up slightly, he then heard Reese pad round to him and take his hands in his own, lifting him slowly onto his feet. Now that Reese was close, he could make out his facial features, not as clearly as he’d like but enough for Pine to be able to read his mood and judging by the small smile on his lips, today was a good day for him.

“So….what are we wearing today, Jack?” Reese asked with a chipper tone

“Something casual, Jeans, t-shirt and a hoodie. Got a feeling Jack isn’t a suits kind of guy” Pine replies

“I’m sensing the same….How about a black leather jacket, with a white shirt and a red hoodie?” Reese asked

“Striking but why them colours?”

“Because those are the colours of a Death adder, eye catching but deadly”

“Oh I like your style” Pine replied with a smile on his face

He then allowed Reese to guide him to the bathroom and helped him undress and step into the shower. He allowed Pine privacy while he washed, it gave him some time to think things over, try and figure out the new persona he has been given, how he should act and behave. As finished in the shower and asked for Reese’s assistance, He took a moment to figure out his persona, given the new surname assigned to him, he would need to be the quiet but deadly sort, never one to get caught and fast, yet to be fast he would need complete vision and that’s when Pine’s head dropped and Reese noted it. He carefully took his hands and gave them a little squeeze.

“You know….Most of the worlds venomous Snakes have poor sight...and they rely on a mixture of vibrations and heat signatures to see. It doesn’t hinder them, it just makes them just as lethal” Reese says softly as he watches Pine raise his head slightly “You might have an advantage, especially when we have Finch’s help”

Pine smiled and nodded, Reese always seemed to know just the right words to say at the right moments, something Pine never really appreciated till now, when he needed them the most. It wasn’t a problem, nothing now seemed to be a problem, not even helping the man dress in the morning or put on his shoes, admittingly Pine would stubbornly try and do the simple tasks himself, forgetting the complicity of such tasks for such a visually impaired person, Yes Reese allowed him to do it but it was the only way Pine could learn, that sometimes asking for help wasn’t always a bad thing.

Reese helped him into some clean clothes, for the time being Reese put him in some Blue worn jeans, A white tee and a Dark Blue sweater, Reese then helped him with his shoes and then in next to no time They were making their way to Finch. Shaw sat outside the apartment in a black pick up, waiting for both men, Reese helped Pine into the back, popping on a pair of sunglasses on his face and ensured he was comfy and secure. Pine sat quietly in the back, lost in his own world as they travelled through the busy streets, battling through traffic, while Reese and Shaw chatted amongst themselves. Despite the world being a haze to Pine he still enjoyed looking out the window and watching the blurred shapes go past him, it was oddly comforting and gave him a sense of peace.

Within half an hour they had arrived at their destination, Reese helped Pine out of the pickup while Shaw walked ahead, keeping her eyes open for any potential threats while Reese lead Pine down the narrow flight of stairs leading to an empty storage area with a vending machine. It was dark, damp and smelled musty, which lead to Pine feeling edgy and apprehensive.

“Where are we?”

“Somewhere safe” Shaw replied as she inserted a couple of coins into the vending machine “The boss is looking forward to finally meeting you”

There was a clunk and the sound of gears turning slowly, the front of the vending machine slowly slid open to another flight of stairs, shrouded in darkness. Shaw lead the way while Reese took Pine’s hand and helped him to navigate his way down the stairs, he could hear Pine’s steady breathing starting to turn ragged and rushed, becoming uncomfortable with his eyes being suddenly plunged into darkness, fearing he had lost his vision altogether.

“Reese I can’t see” Pine says panicked

“It’s alright, this bit is quite dark, I’ll guide you down these stair and soon you’ll be able to see again, promise” Reese replied calmly

“You mean there’ll be light again and I can return back to my hazy world”

“Temporarily hazy world….”

“But what if it’s not? What if I’m constantly like this? Unable to see or recognise people? I won’t be able to help you or the team. I’ll be a hinderance, a burden to you all and you’ll get fed up and leave me-”

“Hey, Hey..calm down...take deep breaths, alright? No one is leaving you, no one is finding you a burden and everyone’s doing everything they can to help you. You’re vision is going to get better, the doc said it himself. Healing takes time and patience”

Pine took a deep breath and slowly rubbed his thumbs over the back of Reese's hands, creating circular shapes on the skin

“I feel vulnerable and weak”

“Which is why, while you’re like this, you got an oaf like me helping you along, besides…..I think you’ll like what Finch has for you”

He helped Pine down the last few steps and carefully guided him into the main subway, Finch standing outside the small subway train,hands tight behind his back as he watched Reese and Pine steadily emerge from the shadows, Reese with one hand carefully placed on Pine’s back, pushing him towards Finch.

“Good Morning Mr Morsadder” Finch began as he addressed Pine by his new alias “How do you feel?”

“Anxious” He replied as his eyes tried to focus on the man standing before him.

“I can understand. When a person loses their vision, they can lose their confidence and independence and consequently they struggle to adapt to their new world. You’re lucky that yours is only temporary but I know you are reluctant to just lay down and let nature do its job.So at the request of the detective I have come up with something to help”

Finch produces a pair of sunglasses, the lenses darker than normal and the arms a little more thicker, he carefully places them on Pines face, he then presses a small button on the left arm which springs the device into life. Suddenly Pine can see blue outlines of the people around him and any structures or obstacles. Pine staggers back a little, stunned by the clarity.

“How….?” Pine asks, stunned

“In the same way bats are able to see. Sonar, the machine transmits a signal and whatever it bounces off, it produces an image or an outline of the obstacle, structure or person that is preventing the signal going through. It’s not detailed but it’s enough to help”

“So how do I know who is the target, in say a crowd of people?” Pine asks

“The Machine will indicate this by changing the colour of that person's outline, Green if they are the victim, Red if they are the perpetrator or even a threat to yourself and yellow if it’s one of us, so right now I should be bright yellow to you”

“That you are….but what about Locations? How do I know I am in the right location?” Pine asks

“The machine will indicate it accordingly, using the appropriate colours, so if the victim is there it will highlight the whole area as green and vice versa” 

“Makes sense”

“So….lets try it out. I will send Miss Shaw out to pretend to be either the victim or perpetrator and then once she is set, I will send you out to find her. I’ll make sure Reese is supporting you if anything goes wrong”

Pine nodded and took a deep breath as Finch instructed Shaw to go and get herself set, he then inputs a test command into the system that will setup the parameters of the test run. After twenty minutes Harold receives a call from Shaw that she is in position and to send out the dogs. Her call is tracked by the machine and information sent to Pine’s glasses.

“The machine will now send you her location and will guide you to where she is currently positioned. Your path should come up pulsating white”

“Oh it’s doing that alright”

“Good, then follow it, it will alter in real time should she move locations. Detective you should go with him”

Reese nods as Pine makes his way out from the subway, he’s more confident and a little more stable when walking, he doesn’t feel bombarded with sounds or smells that overwhelm him, he can now see the obstacles and the people walking towards him. He pauses for a moment as he familiarises himself with the area he is in, as the glasses as the machine keeps him updated on Shaw’s movements. He looks behind him and sees a yellow outline, indicating the man behind him is Reese.

“So where we going?” Reese asks

“Not sure yet….but this time I’m guiding you” Pine replies as the head off down 8th Avenue, following the path created by the machine, so far there didn’t seem to be any glitches, although Pine made a mental note that the machine could highlight things deemed a risk, like road crossings but in comparison these were minor details that could be altered in due course, for now he would need to rely on his senses when crossing the road.

After half an hour, Pine eventually reaches the place where Shaw is positioned, the location, a small bar of 31st street east. The bar has lit up green, indicating Shaw is a victim, once he is inside the colour reverts back to blue and He can see Shaw in a booth in the corner of the bar. Pine beams but then something catches his eye, a few seats down someone is lit up as red, Pine presses his ear piece to contact Harold

“Everything okay Morsadder?”

“I found Shaw….but I’m seeing something else” Pine replied, staring at the other target

“Something else? There shouldn’t be anything else”

“Oh…..but there is….I got a perp showing up a few booths down from Shaw”

“Odd...this is in test mode”

“Is the machine able to give you a live feed?” Pine asks

“Give me a few seconds”

Reese carefully stands beside Pine and places a hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze while he scans the people in the bar, he knows Pine can see Shaw but judging by the conversation he is having, something is up.

“What’s up?” Reese asks

“The machine has picked something up, Harold is checking it over” Pine replied

He has noticed Shaw had gone back to yellow but the other guy in red remains, sitting in a booth reading a broadsheet newspaper and sipping a coffee, his actions familiar but Pine couldn’t place his finger on it. 

“You need to leave that place immediately” Harold warns. Panic lacing his voice

“Why?” Pine asks

“Don't question why. Just do it. You, Reese and Shaw need to leave. Now”

Pine can sense the panic in Finch’s voice, whoever this person is, they are a genuine threat to them. Pine’s heart started to race 

“We have to leave” He says “Finch has seen something and we all need to move now”

Reese didn’t argue, he indicates for Shaw to move and the three of them leave the bar, calmly as not to raise any suspicion or attract any unwanted attention, all three oblivious to what lurked in the bar, only that the machine detected a potential perpetrator but Finch was reluctant to go into detail over them, his voice panicked, like the man had seen the devil incarnate. Little did they know that Finch did indeed see such a creature, sitting calmly at the bar they were just in, carefree and content, watching the world around them and drinking it all in. Drinking in the freedom he had been given, drinking in the chaos that he was to bring down on them.

Was he aware they were there? It didn’t seem so but it was clear and obvious to Finch that Samaritan had upped its game if it was now hiring the devil incarnate to do it’s bidding to rat out it’s competition and the devil incarnate was tall, cunning, dark and typically British.

The devil incarnate was Roper.


End file.
